Chapters Chapter 1: Simple Prudence
"Rarity, my dear, where would the red silk be?"
"Mother, the red silk is actually behind you, on the counter."
Mother turned around in a swift and precise motion. A motion I was well accustomed to. With the little complication out of the way. Mother could resume her work on the woman's dress. I returned to my present chore. The chore was the sorting out of different fabric. I sighed as the shelves for the fabric were less than neat. To be truthful, most of them were in shambles. We had frequently made reminders to repair them, but have never got around to it. Being a seamstress did not always give one a decent earning. And with the forgetting customers of nobility, payment was not sure to be delivered. Father was the one who earned most of our money anyway. I held a roll of Imperial lavender silk. The Belle family was fortunate enough to be able to afford silk from the Crystal Empire. Although Equestria had such silk, the Imperial silk was much, much finer. This was because the Crystal Empire had a similar climate to that of the East Empires. I held the silk gently; I did not want to ruin such a divine fabric. The jagged wood of the shelves made me groan internally. One touch could devastate the precious fabric's perfection. I placed the silk down on the wooden work table beside me. I took care not to jab my finger on the sowing machine that resting on the table. I carefully picked up a blue Equestrian silk. It was of less worth and I placed it on the splintered shelf. I did this also with another cheap silk. I then finalized my work by placing the Imperial silk safely on top of them.
"How are the dresses going?"
I looked at the doorway of our workroom. My father smiled lovingly back at Mother and me. Father had been working hard with the neighbor's gardens, thus his sleeves were spotted with dirt. He was not a gardener by trade, but a banker. He enjoyed helping the community and forming friendly relations to those who lived in our Delta District of West Canterlotia. I was fortunate to be of higher class and not of the middle-class and below, who worked day and night in the factories (Oh, the awful smoke that emitted from such places.), and this allowed us to have such kind neighbors around us. He was about to step in the room, but Mother waved a hand at him. I silently agreed with Mother. If he had come inside, he would surely have tracked dirt in the room. Even though no words were said, we all understood each other. Father nodded his head and took a step back.
He rubbed his thick moustache. "Oh, sorry about that. Well, I'm done with Lady Luck's garden. Let me tell you, her rose bushes are certainly a pain." He placed his hand on the door frame and rested. His sapphire eyes, the color of eye that I had acquired through him, looked about the room, searching for something of interest. As he stroked his facial hair, I noticed his ring. He always wore the ring, it was our family ring. The ring was made of real silver and the top formed a small black square. In the middle of the square was a red cross. The ring was so familiar to us that I made no comment on it. It was my father's and his father's and even his father's ring. Now this made me assume that I may inherit the item, as I was the eldest child in my family. The only one who could compete against me for the ring was Sweetalia, or Sweetie, my younger sister. However, my little sister was a wild one, always executing some childish scheme in the Capital. She was a eight years younger than me, but she had a quick and even subtle mind. Like I took to sewing and dressmaking, she took to books and words. Every other night at dinner, she would explain a word she learned earlier that day. I admired her diction, but she sometimes needed to understand the word "bombastic." I never took to reading. Do not mistake me, I was a skilled reader and I did not falter in intellectual reasoning, but I thought highly of fashion and proper etiquette. Since my upper-class family could not afford noble-esque dresses, I often made my own. I had already built notoriety around the District for my personal and particular fashion. I used the word "notoriety" here because many jealous crones disapproved of my elaborate and complex modus operandi . I never cared to blend in and rather stand out in every crowd. I had to admit, I sauntered around to receive compliments from other ladies or even gentlemen.
Mother continued to work on our current order. We were fashioning a dress for one Lady Twilight Armour. Her father visited our shop nigh on eight days ago. Master Armour told us that the dress was for his daughter's nineteenth birthday. This made her a half-year older than myself. We had worked on the dress since the arrival of the order, though, it was not easy as one would expect. From the order, I could that the girl was one of the weird types. She had written the order by hand and wrote with many scientific terms and numerous awkward sentences. My mother and I had to decipher the words for anything meaningful. We deciphered that the dress was to be a dark bluish color, like that of the night sky. Her body measurements were labeled in scientific notation, which I was rather unfamiliar with. Fortunately, Sweetie somehow knew what it meant and changed the numbers to more, well, appropriate ones. Twilight also wished for the dress to be simple. Usually people will choose us to make their dresses due to complexity, but not in this case. I walked over to Mother. She was placing the final adjustments to the dress. It was not one of our finer works, but the customer was always right as they say. I inspected the dress. It was a tight-fitting apparel of velvet with a solid dark blue color from the bosom to the edgings of the skirt. A red silk shawl rested on the square-cut buttoned shoulders. The neck area had a simple collar that did not reach the chin of its wearer. That was just the outside of course. With all evening dresses, underneath was a corset and white stockings that ended in tall black heeled boots. It was not unique in any manner. I would have never caught myself wearing such simplicity, but I was not the customer. Mother stepped back and combed her light purple hair with her aged hand. She then nodded slowly, as if satisfied with the work.
"I believe the dress is ready. Rarity, would you be a dear and deliver it? I know you are not dressed for public view. Go on, get ready. The Armour family lives in the Beta District by the Grand Plaza. I think it's in the Marian Neighborhood. I hear they have a massive telescope peering from the roof, so you certainly cannot miss it!" Mother removed her red spectacles and patted me on the shoulder. I was not in the mood for meeting one who would wear such a travesty, but I must obey my mother's orders. I took one last glance at Twilight's dress before traversing the steps to my room. I was in a house dress that was purposed for work and not anything one would wear in public. My room was in its organised chaos as usual. Every single trinket, brush, and undergarment was carefully sprawled about in utter perfection. Nothing was in place, thus nothing was out of place. This was an issue I fought with my dear mother and my sister about. Sweetie was a girl bent on organising. Whatever one tasked her with, she would create a delicate memo or method by which she would accomplish said task. Left to her own guidance and purpose however, and one will receive her usual erratic personality. Mother often pointed out inconsistencies in my room and my fashion. My garments had to be immaculate before I wore them and my room had to be in disarray before I could properly operate. I tried in vain to explain the cause, but repeating the words in my head only supported my mother's arguments. The best way I could describe it was that it was "the manner of which I was born with." This may not seem like a viable argument, but it sufficed as a daughter's excuse.
"I must not offend the Armour family. Hmmm, what should I wear?" Now what I was about to perform was the delicate procedure of choosing one's proper apparel. I required something to impress the family. A relevant color scheme was a must. Purple on purple? I ran a hand through my dark purple hair of which I was so proud of. Yes, that would be perfect for the situation. I withdrew my purple day gown from my closet and carefully placed it on my unmade bed.
"Oi! You better not take forever! I am not waiting on you for an hour again." The shout from my mother downstairs interrupted my thought process, making me stop and frown. She was an impatient woman that did not understand careful decisions. I tried to ignore her and gathered some accessories for my outfit. A hat, boots and the like. When I had accomplished the task of gathering my clothes, it was now the even more difficult and sequacious process of putting them on.
"Daylight is escaping us, Rarity!" I growled loudly at the sound of my mother. After I stripped down from my work clothes, I fumbled with my long stockings, falling down once or twice in my supposed haste.
"Rarity? What was that noise?"
She was at it again. "Nothing, mother!" I answered and finished my first step. From the stockings, onto the various undergarments. They were not as hard to put on as those dastardly stockings.
"The Armours will be retired by the time you reach them!" I was on the edge of my patience. I did not know how many more shouts I could handle.
"Mother, you simply cannot degrade her for being an aesthete." Well, at least Sweetie is on my side, I thought. I sped up my process and quickly placed my dress on. The dress had several overlaps of purple and white satin. The dress reached my ankles in the front and touched the ground behind me. I finished buttoning the dress up and placed a purple silk shawl over my shoulder. I then placed my black stiletto boots on and completed the outfit with my purple embroidered cap. I was about to head downstairs before I remembered my white gloves and placed them on as well. Once I was satisfied with my arrangement, I opened my room door and returned to the downstairs.
"Well, there you are. Here I have the dress ready." Mother handed me a rectangular white box.
"You are not going to comment on my apparel?" I asked her. Mother rolled her eyes and then smiled warmly.
"You are the loveliest delivery girl in the Capital." She said this with an amused manner. With such humbling words from my mother, I turned and headed towards to door. The sound of my heels echoed through our home. "Rarity? Are you wearing those killer shoes again?" I stopped and faced Mother.
"Killer? I believe the word you are thinking of is promethean." I replied.
Mother sighed and waved a dismissing hand at me. "You girls and your new styles. I will never comprehend how you even walk in those."
I understood that we had been delaying the package long enough. I gently opened the white door and stepped out into the city. Beta District, now where was it? I closed the door behind me. The bustling streets of the Capital engulfed me almost instantly. The Capital was a city like none other. It was a mixture of beauty and gloom. It was gentle yet savage. One could praise the high minarets and at the same time cringe at the low slums. Every Sector of the city had its share of wealth and poverty. The Districts themselves were named with a letter to signify its average wealth. Alpha was the richest District of the Sector, Omega was the poorest. These Districts helped keep the civilised and privileged away from the lowly scoundrels that roamed the forsaken alleys. That was the way of the Capital. The rich would have their places and poor will have theirs. It was a simple concept of the time. I never visited the poorer Districts. My area to roam was Alpha, Gamma, and Delta. Now, of course, that was a very large area. I had visited the Beta District before, but it was a while ago. I did not really know which direction to even go, and in such an endless city, one could easily get lost. However, one could always use the Grand Royal Palace to show north. One could see that massive paradise from anywhere in the Capital. It was much better to use it as a marker than the stars or sun, as they were constantly blocked by the black smoke of the Industrial District. I found my bearings and headed towards the Beta District to the east. Gentlemen and Ladies of good class acknowledged me as I passed them. That was a reason I endured such a city. The etiquette of the higher classes was boundless. I admired such manners. It was what made me a lady of the time.
"This looks like the place." I inspected the large building on the street corner before me. It indeed possessed a massive telescope peering at the stars from the roof. The entire place was abnormal in every way. There was no front door as the place was round and had a door every five metres or so. It looked more like a monstrous laboratory than a home. It was the only building with such a description. All the others were the proper square and bricked homes and shoppes. I hesitated. The place was just so wild and had no sense of proper decorating. I was desperately hoping that I made a wrong turn or was in the wrong District.
"Are you here to see the Armour family?"
I turned to see an aged woman smiling at me. She was accompanied by two other women of white hair. "Yes, I am." I answered her. They nodded slowly and the first one gave me a worried look.
"That's unfortunate. We wish the best of luck to you." I could only blink in confusion to her words. Was it really that bad? I gulped and delicately walked up the stone steps. I tried to be as silent as possible, but my shoes made that impossible. I halted in front of what I thought was the main door. It was the largest door with a large six-pointed pink star painted neatly on it. I took hold of the golden knocker and sounded my arrival. There was no response.
"Well then, I'll just go back." I said and quickly turned around. Suddenly, the door opened. There was no one there to greet me. It was like a phantom welcomed me into their haunted abode. I cursed beneath my breath and entered the home. Instantly, a flash of light blinded me. I stood there dazed and confusingly glanced at the daguerreotype camera in front of me.
"Did it work? Haha! It worked!" From behind a table, a young woman appeared. She clapped her hands in sheer excitement and joy. As soon as I regained my vision, I could see the girl fully. She had bright magenta eyes that complimented her dark purple and pink highlights in her hair. The rest of her hair was a dull purple. Her style was most peculiar for a woman of her age. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail. On top of her head was a pair of thick brass goggles, of which one seemed to have some sort of magnifying ability. Her garments were filthy and in disarray. She had a white large lab coat that stretched to her knees. Under the only-one-buttoned-coat was a lavender work dress that too only reached her knees. Her leather boots were men's work boots. Her hands were covered in thick leather work gloves that were absolutely filthy and spotted with grim. Well, all of her was spotted in dirt and soot. She took no notice of me and cared to the camera.
She giggled in her enthusiasm. "It worked! Hehehe. Father's going to love this. With my brand new security feature, I shall have a photo of everyone who steps through this door." I held a finger up. "Uhm, I am here..." She interrupted me with a shout. "OF COURSE! How could I forget the dress? My dress. Hello, my name is Twilight Armour." She held out her filthy glove for me to shake. I retracted my hand from her vile outstretched arm. She frowned at me before rubbing her face. "Oh, where are my manners?" She flicked her hand and the glove flew off and onto a small table with several identical gloves. They were spotted with grim in the exact same areas as well. She returned her hand to me. I finally took her hand.
"I am Rarity Belle, pleasure." We shook hands awkwardly. Her grip was much tighter than mine and she made my arm bounce up and down in the air. After that, there was an odd silence that followed.
"Well, here is your dress." I handed her the box and successfully ended the silence. She took it with a broad smile and quickly opened it. With one small glance, she closed it again. "It's perfect. Thank you kindly. Spike! Get over here!" Her call echoed through the high ceiling. I had not received any form of payment, thus I waited next to Lady Twilight. The voice of a small boy answered rudely. "What da ya want, Twi?"
Lady Twilight growled through her smiling teeth. "Get over here! We also have a guest."
"Fine!" The sounds of metal items crashing to the hard floor were heard from the back of the house. Talking about the house, it was a complete mess. There were machines in every corner making loud and annoying sounds. There were revolvers, lever-action repeater rifles, muskets, and carbines resting on every table. It was apparent this family loved weapons. Models of planets and stars hung from the high dome ceiling. The walls were lined with photographs, posters, news articles, and lots, and lots, of red string that connected said pictures and articles. Most of the articles were about murders, attacks, or odd business movements. Some were even about the gangs of Canterlotia. These gangs never bothered me, so the articles did not pique my interest. The entire place was filled with everything imaginable, except for anything that should be found in a proper and functional home.
My attention returned to the task at hand when a small boy, no older than twelve, with wild green hair revealed himself from behind an iron cauldron. "Oi, Twi! What ya want? I was busy with the stuff."
Twilight frowned at him. "Spike, that 'stuff' is very important. If you add three milligrams sodium too much, it could react violently. Now, here's this. Take it to my room."
She tried to hand the boy the box, but he was not focused on her, but on me. He was almost dumbfounded and his jaw gaped slightly. "Spike?" Twilight waved a hand in front of his face. He continued to stare in awe at me. Finally, he pointed at me. "Twi, you said angels didn't exist. Then what is she?" Twilight's face dropped at this. I couldn't control myself and giggled at the boy's compliment. Twilight shoved the box into Spike's arms. This interrupted Spike's stare and he frowned as soon as his eyes departed my figure. Twilight gave him a firm finger to go away and he sluggishly did at she asked. She then turned back to me with a smile. "Little brothers, they can be odd at times. Thank you again for the dress."
"Oh, no need to thank me, Spike did enough already." I told the woman. Twilight suddenly turned and walked away without another word. I was greatly confused by this. I still had not received any payment. "Ahem, Lady Twilight, I have not received payment for the dress."
Twilight stopped and turned around with a sheepish grin. "Oh yeah, uhh....We don't use currency like gold coins or paper here. We trade instead. Take anything you want, just make sure it isn't too valuable. See? You can take this repeating air-rifle. It's operated with a new pump action. It silently fires darts or really anything you can stick into the barrel. Good ol' homemade technology." She showed me the small rifle. It was not like any rifle I had seen before. It was pleasant to look at, but "I'm sorry, but what good will that be to a seamstress?"
Twilight paused. "You're right....Well....If you find anything, just ask." She then walked away and out of sight. I sighed and looked around. Nothing even looked remotely useful for my family. Bitpieces were useful, not these odd inventions. I shook my head and exited the home.
"Bloody Armours, no currency? Hmph."
I was frustrated with my short trip. Who trades like that? Not my family, not any family or business I've known before. What, did they live in the Tribal Ages? I had lost my patience. I couldn't go home to Mother and Father and say that I had no money. That dress was worth at least 300 bitpieces. While the usual worth was 800 or more, this was still money not in my possession. I will admit, I've been in this situation before, well not exactly, but still.
"Time to snatch some fat purses." I searched the area. People in their lovely dresses and coats walked around me. I spotted a nice gentleman with a black top hat. He would do. I casually walked by him and reached in his pocket. I quickly withdrew my hand with his leather wallet. I checked to see if he noticed, and he did not. I counted the bitpieces inside. There were 43. Not a bad start, but I still had to gather more. Was I proud of what I was doing? Well, not entirely. I was proud of my fingersmithing skills and I needed the money for my family. I would only steal from those who obviously wouldn't miss a few bits. However, if my mother or father caught me being so naughty, well, my views on the subject would certainly change. I snatched another purse from a wealthy lady. I was up to 126 bits. I always made quick work of these times. Swiped another. I counted the bits in this wallet and then accidentally bumped into a wall. Actually, it wasn't a wall but a large young man in a military uniform. I looked up at his face. His eyes were shrouded his tall black and blue plumed hat. From the gold and blue and black on his uniform, I could tell he was an Officer of the Royal Army. There were many similarities between the Royal Army and Royal Police. The Royal Army had special "Officers" that worked both as a constable and a soldier. This man was one of them. One would always know an Officer from the rest because of their tall, flashy black hats and feathers. His thick jaw was tight as he looked down at me. "Well, m'lady, do you think I didn't see you pickpocket that man?"
I laughed weakly and placed a hand on his chest. This was the first time someone's caught me red-handed. "You do not mind, do you? You are quite dashing in that uniform, I must say. I am certain that a little company and some bits would let you turn a blind eye?" I thought I nailed my delivery, however, this did not faze him.
"That's bribery added to your charges, m'lady. Anything else?" He said this with a smug and casual voice. I wouldn't give up that easily. There was too much at stake. "Well, my good sir, I am free tonight, if you don't mind of course. But, if we are to meet after dusk, I require your name."
The Officer smiled. "My name is Officer Flashius Senti. The name of the one who caught you red-handed."
"How do you deny this face?" I asked in shock and gestured at myself.
He started to chuckle at my feeble attempts to persuade him. "I wonder that too, but I have my eyes on another and would not dare to be unfaithful. So....Are you done?"
I silently gave him my stolen bits. He, like any militant, took the bits and pocketed them. I then sighed in defeat and showed him my hands. "I do hope labour is not the sentence."
He carefully placed the handcuffs on me, making sure not to inflict any unnecessary harm. "Then I do hope it is, m'lady."
Chapter 2: Ambiguous Agenda
It was a beautiful day in Canterlotia. The high spires, minarets, and smoke stacks that defined the city loomed over me as I walked. Now, I was not going in the direction I wished to travel. I was walking to the Beta District Plaza, which was in the opposite direction of home. My feet were starting to ache from walking in the stilettos for so long. My wrist burned with the handcuffs. But, the Officer's gentle touch did nothing to the arm he held. I was thankful for this, as he was still a gentleman beneath that uniform. However, with all of his politeness, he was still leading me to the Police Headquarters. Such crimes for petty thievery could be sentenced with labour, public humiliation, or street cleaning. As I thought about these things, it was only then that I realised how dire the situation was. I was wearing my lovely dress. Any of those sentences could ruin it. I halted and pouted at my apprehender. "Flashius, are you sure about this? I mean, I am not a ruffian, but a lady. These rules are too harsh for one that bruises as easily as I."
Flashius blinked at me before chuckling. "You're no lady. You're a fingersmith, a thief. I won't let you go for having a pretty face."
"I do have a marvelous face don't I?" I caught myself in the inappropriate flattering. "Oh, it's just that I wish the dress to remain intact. I made this myself. Labour will certainly ruin it. I don't deserve this tragedy."
Flashius raised a brow in mockery. "Really? Alright, here's a nice quiz for you. Is stealing against the Royal Law?" I knew where he was going with this. I gave him a short answer. "Yes." He nodded and continued. "Right. Now, did you steal?"
I boldly pointed an intentionally rude finger at him. "No! I was simply gathering money for my family. You see, this Armour girl, Twilight, refused to pay for a dress I made her. Thus, she forced me to take action, and I stol-borro-retrie-no....Uh...Ahah! I took a loan from a few generous donors."
His brightened for some reason. "Oh, you know Twilight? She's quite the girl isn't she? Oh what...I mean, no! You can't simply justify your actions because you want others to pity you. Fine, if don't want labour, then I'll tell your father of your misbehaviour."
I was about to call him bluffing, but I doubt he ever bluffs. Royal Officers are known to be as honest as farmer. Instead, I desperately clutched his uniform with my hands, creating a horrid winkle in its gold splendor. He was taken aback by my action and gave me a look of bewilderment. I drew my face as close to his as possible. "Please don't! That option is not favourable to me either! If my father catches wind of this, he will be furious and I'll never see the streets again! Please! I can help you. I can return whatever kindness you can show me."
Flashius smiled at me. "Oh? You're trying to bribe me yet again? Well, what can you do for me?" His voice was mocking, but I had to take this chance. I released my grip on him and thought. What could I do for him? He seemed like a gentleman well off in the military. He had to be well off to be an Officer. I started to look about for any ideas. Men were always simple minded, thus it should be something simple. What do men like? Well, I am sure they like women. Yes, I could tell he was fond of that Twilight girl, even how bizarre that may seem.
I gave him my best smile. "I know. You are quite the smitten kitten. I can get you and your dear Twilight to be an item."
Flashius drew back. "How so?" I had successfully intrigued him.
"Well, I may be young, but I am a woman and a lady, despite what you may say, and I have learned a thing or two of matchmaking from my dear mother."
The Officer chuckled. "It won't be that easy. You see, Twilight's older brother is the Captain of the Royal Guard and my superior. If he knows that I am sweet on his sister, who knows what will happen to me."
I tapped his chest. "Then we shall be discreet, hm? Trust me, you get me out of these wretched cuffs and I shall make you and Twilight into a glorious couple, hidden from the eyes of others as well." I grinned and continued to tap my fingers on his chest. My dulciloquy had done its work.
"So that's where you've been misusing your time!"
The squeak of the voice startled both Flashius and I. I knew the squeak all too well. After cringing and gnashing my teeth in an un-lady like manner, I turned my head to face Sweetie with my best fake smile. "Hello, Sweetie. Why are you here?" My gritted teeth made me sound angrier than what I wanted, but I needed to give her a hint. She giggled at the sight of my chained hands.
"It's about time you were arrested." Her quick little mouth made me growl. She was going to ruin my chance of freedom!
I gave Flashius a sheepish smile and shooed her away. "Don't mind her, she is just my little sister. Doesn't know a peach from a pear."
Flashius frowned at me. "It sounds like this isn't your first time thieving, is it?"
Sweetie nodded. "Oh yeah, my cynosure and croquette of a sister is always pilfering those she dislikes or disdains." I was about to stomp over to her and strangle her, but the Officer held me in place.
"Is she always like this?" Flashius asked me.
I sighed. "Indeed, she is simply trying to get me a severe sentence with those accusations."
Sweetie chuckled in her evilness. "They're not accusations; I am only informing the Officer of your little hobby."
"Sweetalia Nicole Belle!" I shrieked at her. Sweetie's grin vanished and she stared in horror at me. The best way to get her attention was to use her full name. I felt my blood boil. I wished ill upon my little sister and that did not weigh heavily on my mind.
Flashius turned me around. "Wait? Did you say 'Belle?' Are you the daughter of Hondo Belle the banker?"
I was confused by his hesitant tone. "Ere, yes, I am Rarity Belle."
His eyes widened. "Uhh...I am truly sorry about today. Just, don't mention this to your father! Here, I'll get you right out of these." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the key to the handcuffs. Sweat was building on his brow as he unlocked the cuffs and released me. He looked frightened as ever. He fumbled a little before removing the cuffs. "There you are. I was never here, with you-in-cuffs alright? Though is our deal still on?" He gave a weak smile to me. I simply nodded to answer him. After that, he ran off in a quick and fluent motion. We watched him dodge men and women in his haste. It seemed like he was late for an appointment.
"Sweetie? What was up with that?" I asked my sister.
Sweetalia stood next to me. "No idea. He is a peculiar fellow."
I rubbed my aching wrists. It was fantastic that I was free, but the manner in which I was released perplexed me. The sound of my family name, my father's name, haunted the young man. I wondered why. Sweetie did not share my thoughts on the manner and simply skipped away. It was the best to simply follow her back home. I had been away for too long and mother would certainly ask questions. Wait. I glanced at the little girl hopping away.
I chased after her into a backstreet. "Sweetie! You better not mention any of this to Mum or Daddy. Is that clear?"
Sweetie stopped and stroked her little chin. "Let's see, I won't be quiet for free."
I sighed in frustration. "Alright! What will suffice?"
She grinned at me. "A hundred bits!"
I was speechless and stared at her. "Why, that is far too much! No deal!"
Sweetie shrugged and kicked a loose stone down the street.
"Fine, let's see how much money you'll have in the Bastille."
This little remark from the little girl made me grab her shoulder and crouch to her eye level. "You are not a very nice sister."
She nodded and shoved a finger in my bosom. "And you are not a good role-model for me."
She won this battle. Her little kept repeating itself in my mind. The guilt that filled my heart at those words made me look away from her. "As you wish. You are a brat, you know that?"
Sweetie patted my cap with a broad smile, ready to shoot me in the chest again. "I take it from you."
"What do you mean, 'she didn't pay?"
"That is exactly what I mean, Mother."
Mother gave a well-deserved grunt and crossed her arms. Sweetie and I arrived at our home after a relatively peaceful walk back. I had been away for almost two and a half hours, letting the sun coast across the cerulean sky. Mother grumbled and sat down in the waiting room. "We can't just let people take our products. They owe us money and we should go get it."
Father walked into the room. "Oh Betty, calm down. I am sure there is an explanation for all of this. I doubt the Armour family will simply steal from us. I tell you what; I'll have them make a transfer through the bank."
I raised a brow. "Daddy? Can you do that legally?"
He shrugged. "They owe us money and they should give us money. If this bothers you, dear, I'll talk with Master Armour about it tomorrow. If he refuses, I'll transfer the money myself."
I was not convinced and shook my head. "What if they take the issue to court?"
Father smiled and shrugged. "Then they will." He said nothing more after that. He said the last words with some sort of secret confidence, like taking the matter to court would be an automatic win for us. He was a banker, I assumed he knew his way about the Royal Laws. The smell of dinner reached our noses and Father followed the scent to the kitchen.
Mother glanced at me. "Why dear, why are your wrists so red?" This made me look down and see the handcuff marks on my wrists. I silently wished they would invent a handcuff that was adjustable and no so tight. I quickly pulled my white gloves back to hide them.
"Must have been the sun. It was on the hotter side this afternoon and the smoke from the factories was less today." Mother accepted this with a nod and followed Father to the kitchen. This left me with Sweetie who was reading a rather large book. I tilted my head to read the title: "The Dictionary." I rolled my eyes.
"Sweetie dear, why don't you ever read the classics or the fairy tales? Girls your age love those."
She lifted her head from the book. "You're the one telling me what girls love to do? I didn't know they loved to cut purses or tease every man they meet."
I placed my hands on my hips and glared at her. Her eyes returned to the dictionary. "Sweetie, will you give it up? I was only trying to help. You are only so uptight about iy because I got caught. If I came here with my hands full of bits, Mum and Daddy would be in a far happier mood. Isn't that what we want? To make them happy?"
Sweetie dropped the book on her lap. Her sarcastic demeanor had left her. I realised that I had triggered some sort of sadness and uncertainty in my sister and instantly regretted it. I quickly took up a seat next to her. She did not even glance at me when I ran a hand through her curly pink hair. "Sweetie, just know that I am willing to do anything and everything for our family. For you, for Mum, and for Daddy. I may not be the sister you want me to be, but nevertheless, you are the sister I always wanted." I awaited a reply. She closed the dictionary and placed it on a table next to her. She suddenly hugged me around the shoulders. I almost withdrew from her arms, but then hugged her back.
"Don't worry Rarity, you're the best sister that one could have. But promise me, never do this again. Please? What If I didn't show up? You could have been publicly humiliated or worse, sent to the Bastille! You need to stay out of trouble, for my sake."
She let go of me. I considered her words with care. I looked away and simply stared at my boots. All situations were playing in my mind. How could I simply end my ways? They had helped several times in the past. I worked, I stole, I seduced, I gave my body, I reaped the consequences and rewards. All for my family. I finally shook my head. "No, I can't. What if we run out of money? What if Daddy gets into trouble? He is a banker and bankers hardly make friends in this city. My ways may not be pure or North on a moral compass, but it is necessary for us. You are too young to understand fully. But I will promise this: I will never be caught again. I can assure you this."
"Aren't you girls coming to dinner? It's ready!" Father called to us.
Sweetie stood up and walked away without another word. I remained alone in the waiting room. My sister's silence made the guilt return. Father whistled for me. I did not want to join them for dinner, but I could not refuse. I slowly stood up and walked towards the dining room. My shoes sounded on the wooden floor, reminding me that I had not changed into any relaxing clothes. Mother and Father were used to me wearing such gowns around the house, so they would not suggest me to switch my apparel before eating. However, the smell of the meal lightened my mood. From the smell, I could we were having a delicate ham with sauteed vegetables. Mother had always been an excellent cook and far better than I ever could. My cooking skill was on par with, well, a drunk peasant, but I was still superior to Sweetie, who once made apple juice black and toast into sludge. (Do not ask me how she accomplished this. That is a tale I would rather not go deeply into.)
"Good of you to join us, Rarity." My father told me with humour in his voice.
I silently took my seat at the large table. It was an old thick wooden table of Classic Cloudsdalian make, resembling the olden warriors of Commander Hurricanus's times. I did not know how we acquired such an artifact, as it was there even before my time. From the little remarks Father made on it, I conjectured that it was a family heirloom, passed down through his bloodline.
There was a plate of food already in front of me. Mother must have served me before I even entered the dining room. I looked over at Father who was on the opposite corner of the table. Like always, he refused to eat his meal with dignity and ate his food like a ravenous chimera. At the sight of him, I remembered Flashius' reaction to him. To just his name. I opened my mouth to ask him, but the reflection of light from his ring blinded me momentarily. This distracted my thoughts and I averted my eyes from my father. Father noticed my odd behaviour and looked quizzically at me. "Rarity? What is the matter, dear?"
I returned his look with a sheepish smile. "Oh, it's just, as a banker; do you deal with the Royal Guard, or the Royal Army on a regular basis?"
He placed his fork down and stroked his chin. "Not regularly, but I see them time to time. They usually are on small patrols or merely on personal business, other than that, no. May I ask why?"
I waved a dismissing hand at him. "Oh, nothing. Just that I heard our name among some chatting Regulars." My father's face darkened slightly at this. He did not comment anymore and returned to his food. Mother was also silent as she ate. I glanced at Sweetie who returned my look. I seemed to have piqued her curiosity in the matter as well. However, the intimidating silence stayed throughout the dinner. I never tried to pry information on the subject again that night.
"Never thought my bed would be so enticing."
I removed any objects from my bed and adjusted the sheets. It was late and everyone else had already retired for the night. I was always was the last one to sleep in my family, thus the lateness was not abnormal. My white silk nightgown was soft against my skin as always. It was marvelous to rest after such an odd day. The realisation that I had been at the peculiar Armour's and had been arrested for pickpocketing made me smile on the day. It was just the right amount of adventure. Though the question of why Flashius shuddered at my father's name picked at my thoughts. Usually, I took this time before rest to think of a new dress or design for tomorrow, but no such inspiration came to me. Still, I took up some paper and a pen and began to sketch. I allowed my mind to wander and wander. Before I knew it, I completed my sketch. To my own shock, I drew something that wasn't a dress at all. I drew a cross pattée. It was the only symbol in my mind. I could not comprehend why I sketched such a cross, specifically designed like our family's ring.
"I must be more tired than I thought." I threw the paper aside where it would be found again amongst the semi-random piles of trinkets and valuables in my room. I then reached and turned down the kerosine in my lamp. Darkness filled the room and I soon became comfortable in my bed. Sleep came over me, but not for long. The sound of banging on my high window awoke me from my shallow slumber. I soon realised that someone was throwing pebbles at my window. I grunted loudly and opened the window. The moon filled the streets with just enough light for me to see the culprit of my disturbance.
"Oh, good! Hope I didn't wake you, Lady Rarity."
"Flashius? What are you here for? And how did you find my house?" I asked the Officer down below.
"Don't worry, I already knew the location of your family's abode. Oh, I am here for the deal we made this afternoon. You see, I am off-duty tomorrow. Would it be too much trouble to help me speak with Twilight tomorrow? I understand this is short notice."
I sighed and leaned on the sill. "Oh, I don't see why not. My father is visiting Master Armour tomorrow, I guess we can accompany him. Or.....I'll accompany him since you do not seem too thrilled about that. Now, can you tell me why you fear my father?"
Flashius started to walk away in slow and cowardly motion. "Eh, he is quite the man of course. I deeply......respect him. Yes, that's why. Tha-thank you for your dear kindness. I never thought arresting a thief would benefit me like so."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm still a thief to you? Well, let that be, I guess. Now, leave, I need my beauty sleep. You should retire as well. Good night."
I withdrew from the window and closed it. The day was finally over. I actually thought that I could get away without helping Flashius, yet he remembered. Wait, how did he know where I lived? I tried to see any reason why, but the late hour was not fond of me. I needed rest. I returned to my bed and this time, I remained in my bed. The dreams that filled my head as I slept were dreams of that cross. The cross was always red and those who bore it on their old iron armor gave me grim looks as I passed. Very odd indeed.
Assassin Chapter 1: Suns n' Shimmer
"Ugh, is it morning already?"
All that she could see was red and yellow. She then realised that it was her hair shrouding her vision and brushed it to one side. Sarah groaned and rubbed her turquoise eyes. The room came into focus as her mind awoke from its deep slumber. She tried to move the sheets that covered her body. She stopped when she felt an a large arm keep her in place. "Oh yeah, Flash is here." She said aloud which made the young man beside her grunt. She gently removed his arm and threw the covers off. Even though it was in the summer, the air that floated in the room was chilly to her. Sarah was confused by this, but she soon realised she was only clad in her lingerie. "Must of been a rough night." She said as she inspected all the clothes on the floor.
Flash chuckled in his half-awake state. "Not too rough, Sunny. It was actually one of the calmer nights for us." He lazily reached a hand out to her, trying to bring her back under the covers. She paid no attention to him and began to search the floor for her belongings.
"Huh, the Royal Army keeps getting bigger hats." Sarah laughed as she held Flash's plumed helmet.
Flash sat up in the bed. "Yeah, to the Princesses, the better looking we are, the more efficient we become. Nonsense really."
She threw the helmet to him. "Well, in my eyes, you look fantastic or do I simply have the most handsome Officer in the Royal Army?"
Flash waved a hand at her. "Pfft, well you Assassins all look like angels from above or do I simply have the most fair of them all?"
Sarah nodded. "Of course you do." With the shared compliments over, she rummaged through the clothes. She sorted out her clothes from his by placing her clothes on the bed and leaving his on the floor. She could tell what was hers simply by the colour. If it was black, then it would be hers.
Flash huffed at her poor treatment of his property and crawled across the bed to her belongings. "I could just throw your stuff about too you know."
Sarah glanced over her shoulder at him. "Yeah, and if you do, I'll hurt ya. You may be an Officer, but you still can't beat me." Flash chuckled in agreement. She was an Assassin. It was almost unfair what she could do to him, an Officer and rank of Colonel in the Army.
Sarah finished gathering her things and began to dress for the day. Most women of her background would delicately put on dresses and makeup and whatnot. She did these things, but in her own way. She indeed wore a dress, but it was all black and did not run past her shins. It was longer in the back and gave her ample space to move her legs. Instead of the usual shawl, she instead wore a black leather jacket. It was a jacket for rustlers in the Valley, but she made it her own style. She enjoyed to flare the jacket's collar and even added small metal spikes to it to give it more personality. The back of the jacket had a bright orange and red sun on it. As she adjusted the sleeves, she tested her hidden blades. The red-dyed steel flashed in the dim light. She covered her hands in thin leather gloves of the usual black colour. She finished her apparel with her tall black heeled boots and the Assassin's usual red sash on her waist. She stretched her neck and then attached her special brass Bi-goggles, an Assassin invention that allowed the user to magnify and see at long distances. Flash was never comfortable with the red lenses that made his girlfriend appear soulless, so he looked down at this point. She tested the vision before reaching back and pulling her black hood over her head. She found her belt and tied around her waist, two revolvers rested in their holsters. Once satisfied, she walked over to the corner of the room and retrieved her Shimmer, her bolt-action scoped marksman rifle. She inspected her weapon carefully before swinging it onto her shoulder.
"It's early, Sunny. You already have a contract?" Flash asked as he stood up from the bed.
Sarah lifted the goggles above her eyes and smiled at him. "As always. Today's target is Lady Tabitha Arknight. She has been smuggling weapons into the Capital. Worse, she gives them to not only the Canterlotian Underworld, but the Templar gangs as well. It's high time she goes down."
Flash nodded in understanding. "Well, at least she's a criminal. Otherwise, I would have to arrest you for murder. Again."
Sarah giggled at him. "That first time didn't count. You couldn't even get me to the Police before I escaped."
Flash rolled his eyes. "Had to rub it in, didn't you? I didn't know Assassins had wrist blades. Well, I must be up and off too I guess. Got places to be."
Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "Aren't you off-duty today?"
He nodded quickly. "Oh yeah, but I'm going to head over to the Armour's. The Captain wants me to do something for him."
"Well, alright then. But first, a goodbye for the day?" Sarah walked over to Flash. The young Officer smiled as he knew what was coming. They embraced for a loving kiss. After they were done showing their affection, they held each other at arm's length. "See you tonight, Flash."
Flash grinned. "You too, Sunny. I'll be here." With that, Sarah removed herself from his arms and walked out the door. Flash remained there, grinning. He considered himself lucky to have such a woman. There weren't many like her. Most women of the Capital were too dainty for his taste. She was anything but dainty.
"Glad Dr. Turner isn't on my back. He'll be nagging me for being five seconds late."
Sarah pulled herself on the rooftop. She brought the bi-goggles over her eyes and inspected the area. Slums, slums, more filthy slums. "The Omega District is not lookin' too good today. Too much sunlight I guess. Needs more smoke." Her eyes dashed across the gloomy streets below. Like all Omega Districts, the houses were merely piles of wood nailed together into "homes." The places were so overcrowded that these abodes were often stacked precariously on top of each other to compensate. This gave such Districts an ominous feel as the buildings could collapse at any moment. They often did and no one would fix them, thus several "streets" were arched over with sideways homes and shoppes. It was a fun place for a free-running Assassin, but a pit of Tartarus to the residents. Such places, however, attracted the lawless bunches. Sarah was searching for one below.
"C'mon where are ya?" Sarah jumped across a street to the other side. The people below went about their daily lives. Most were older women whose husbands slaved in the countless factories of the Industrial District to the south. That or the Mountain's mines to the east. Either way, the odds of one's husband returning were 50/50. 75/25 on a good day. This caused most husbands to abandon their jobs and go wild with the Canterlotian Underworlds. The chance of survival was the same, but the chance of wealth was far, far greater. And the more Underworld there was, the more prosperous the smugglers like Arknight could be. It was such things that urged the Assassins in the Capital. The Royals and the Templars did nothing about it. Thus the only ones left were the Brotherhood and the Nationalist party, but Sarah did not agree with their radical ways. She was alone in this viewpoint, but she lacked care to argue about it to the other Assassins.
"This is getting tiresome." There was nothing suspicious in the dark alleys. "She isn't here. I got a false lead." Sarah lifted the Bi-goggles off her eyes. The world remained red in her unadjusted eyes. She walked over to a poll and leaned on it. Where could Arknight be? "Certainly not here." She answered herself. Suddenly a thought entered her mind. What if she missed her? What if she is gone by now? Sarah walked over to the edge of the roof and began to descend. She grabbed onto a loose board and it popped out of the wall. She slipped and grabbed onto another just in time. "Bloody hell. This better be worth it." She swung herself onto the wall opposite the street. The wooden boards were stronger and her descent became easier. Once she reached the damp cobblestone, she wiped her hands in satisfaction.
"Now, I need to question someone." She looked about. The street was mainly empty save for two chatting women. Sarah walked over to them. They did not notice her. She tapped one on the shoulder to get their attention. "Excuse me, but have you seen any smugglers go by. Specifically a woman with black hair and olive eyes?"
One of the women scowled at the Assassin. "Are you a Nationalist?" She asked rudely.
Sarah shook her head. "No, I'm not."
The mean woman took a step away from her. "Then get lost. We don't need Loyalists here."
Sarah slapped her own forehead. "I'm not that either! Look, I only asked if you've seen a smuggler woman. That's all."
The woman pointed a finger at the Assassin. "Don't matter none! This smuggler could be a Nationalist helper. You look like a sharpshooter and you want to kill her. I don't want to help the Loyalists none. Now piss off!"
Sarah clenched her fists. A high-pitched growl emitted from her lips. "Ugh! Well aren't you women all hunky-dory? This smuggler actually helps the Loyalists. You would do your bloody Nationalists good if you told me where she went. I know she came by here since you are so determined to keep her secret!"
The two poor women looked at each other before returning their gaze to the Assassin. "Oh, well, if that's the case. She went down Markus Avenue. I think she's headin' for the Shire Square." Sarah whispered a "thank you" and then headed down the street. If the Square was the location, she herself had to be far from the location. However, she was good at picking spots.
"This looks like a good spot."
Sarah lifted herself onto the tall rooftop. The roofs around the Square were much finer than the Omega District. She focused on the Square in the distance. So many people, she thought. Royal Guards, soldiers, ladies in dresses, men in big hats, children, and a certain smuggler. She zoomed in on the target. "Yup, that's her alright." Arknight was talking with two shady men. A couple of gangsters leaned on the wall beside them. Arknight did not seem like she had anything with her, but they were doing business anyway. Sarah lifted the goggles up and swung her rifle into her hands. She carefully placed her Shimmer on its stock with the barrel facing upwards. She reached behind her and pulled out a suppressor. "Best gift from the Templars ever." Sarah screwed the silencer on the end of the barrel. She then unfolded the bi-pod. With great care, she placed the rifle on the roof and became prone. She rested the stock on her shoulder and placed her right hand on the trigger. Her left hand adjusted the scope until it matched the right settings. She took a deep breath and peered through the scope.
"Show time."
She had to find her target again. It did not take long and she placed the cross hairs on Arknight. "Just chat away. See if I care." A slight breeze started to pick up. This did not faze Sarah and she adjusted to the wind. Arknight was becoming angry with her customer. She started to animate her hands in wild motions. Sarah paused and tried to read their lips. Arknight was becoming rather angry. Some of the gangsters were stirring. "Probably wasting my time." Sarah told herself. One final adjustment. She didn't want to ruin her reputation. Squeeze, she thought. "Say goodnight." Sarah pulled the trigger. Chink! Arknight fell almost instantly. Sarah grinned broadly and quickly got up. Now to make herself scarce. She swung the rifle over her shoulder and ran off the from sight. She hopped over a chimney and dashed across a line to other side of the street.
"Hey you! You can't have a weapon of that size!"
Sarah paused to see a group of Royal Guards pointing at her. "Oh bloody hell no!" Sarah quickened her pace. The Guards shouted and began their chase. The Royal Guards were always a nuisance to the Assassins. They wore heavy armour of secret steel alloys, but their armour was powered with steam and acted as a sort of prototype exoskeleton. They could run faster than the common soldier or Police officer. Sarah dashed through the obstacles with ease, but the Royal Guards kept up with her.
"Stop! Or we will open fire!"
Sarah ignored them and continued running. A discharge was heard and a bullet flew by her. "They're serious?" She yelled. Royal Guards almost never fired their carbines unless it was necessary. Sarah dodged another bullet and turned sharply. Whistles from the Police bobbies could be heard from below. She was attracting far too much attention. She cursed loudly and ran up onto a taller structure.
"Get down here, Miss!" A bobby shouted at her.
"At least they're being polite." Sarah moaned. She searched the area. Every direction seemed to have cut off. Some of the Royal Guards were climbing up to her. Loud clangs of metal would be heard when they slipped and fell back down onto the cobblestone streets. Fortunately for Sarah, they ceased their shooting. The Assassin slid the Bi-goggles over her eyes and inspected the area. She was trying to find some path over the authorities below. She turned to see a row of beams and flagpoles extending from a high wall. She could make that. Sarah sprinted towards them. The Royal Guards chased after her with their usual zeal.
"Ya won't make it, girl!"
"Try me!" She yelled back at them. She was closing on the poles. They were higher up than she had thought. She ran along the wall to gain extra height and momentum. With a powerful jump, she flew from the wall onto the pole. The bobbies were far below watching her. Sarah swung herself from one pole to the next. "Pfft, that was easy." She expertly traveled on the poles. Suddenly, a bullet hit the pole she held and ripped it apart. The shattered pole remained in her grasp and she began to fall. In a desperate attempt to stop her fall, she drove the pole in her hands into the wall. It caught a window sill and the force flipped her. Her back hit the wall and she tumbled towards the street. She could not find a grip in the brick wall and she slammed against the cobblestone.
"Gah..."
She tried to get up, but the rifle on her back was her landing pillow and her back ached severely. She started to crawl with her hands gripping the stone in an attempt to flee. Blood started to cover her eyes and hands. She could not hear anything and only a strong ringing remained. She felt the stone vibrate with footsteps. A metal foot flipped her on her back. She half-consciously gazed at the Royal Guard before her. His golden helmet reflected the rare sun at her. The black holes that were his eyes stared at her mockingly. His breathing was amplified by the air pipes that snaked on his shoulders to the filter on his back. A chuckle escaped his lips and echoed in the hollow helmet.
"Nice try girl. You've only accomplishment a more fitting punishment for defiling our Sisters' Laws. Hope you like the Bastille as your new home, Nationalist scum. Take her away. The Order will be happy to hear that we have caught an Assassin."
The Police bobbies bent down and pulled her up. The edges of her vision blurred with darkness. The Royal Guards stared at her with their emotionless expressions. Their carbines held at the ready. Sarah did not have the strength to resist. She felt the bobbies dragging her and she fell to the darkness. She remembered no more.
Chapter 3: A Peculiar Octave
"You want to accompany me to the Armour's'? Rarity, it's only going to be a formal meeting to discuss the incident with the payment. Nothing you'll be interested with."
"Well Father, the place is quite fascinating by itself and maybe I could reason with Master Armour's daughter. She was the one who decided to not pay in bitpieces."
"Wait, she still wished to pay? But in what?"
"Old fashion trading. I thought no one did that anymore."
Father leaned back in his chair at breakfast. He was already dressed in one of his finer suits for the meeting. I myself was also dressed in my white day dress. Another one of my superior creations. I had dressed so to help the likelihood of him accepting my company. He had always been one to not create any inconvenience, so my dress would settle his mind for him.
"Alright, since you're already dressed for it, I give you permission to come along."
I smiled broadly. "Thank, you Daddy. I greatly appreciate this." My father still had a both confused and suspicious look on his countenance. I tried to relieve him of his doubt with my toothy grin, but the look remained. I had never been one to directly lie to my father without him catching on, but that did not mean I wouldn't stop trying. He, however, merely sighed and shook his head.
"I know that's not you're real motive, but, I am not one to care much about it." He quickly finished his meal and left to make last minute preparations before departing. This left me alone at the dining table. That was, until Sweetie almost spontaneously appeared beside me. She also had a suspicious look almost identical to Father's. Unlike Father however, I could return the look mockingly back to her.
"Why do you want to go with Daddy?" She asked me.
"Well, Sweetie, you see, that young Officer I....met...yesterday, he wanted me to aid him with a little something. That something would deal with Twilight, Master Armour's daughter. Flashius, the officer, is sweet on the girl and I am going to help them...meet."
"Ew." I blinked at Sweetie's response. I then remembered who I was dealing with.
"Oh, Sweetie, you're too juvenile to realise the full importance of my task. Now, you get along and make some friends today or one of your childish activities."
She remained still and raised a brow at me. "I think you are misjudging this juxtaposition between our daily activities. You are still a teenager. I do not think you qualify to choose what is childish or not."
I opened my mouth to respond, but I chose not to add fuel to the absolutely pointless argument. Sweetie apparently believed she won the dispute and smiled. That mocking grin of hers. I shooed her away with my hands. I had to prepare to depart like Father. I heard him walking through the house. I had better hurry, I thought. Sweetie still stood there and I had to nudge her away to get up from my seat.
"Get on with your day and I will get on with mine." I told my sister.
"Rarity! I'm waiting."
"Coming, Father!"
I quickly walked over to the door where my father was standing. He was wearing his long black coat, top hat, and was holding his silver cane. I grabbed my parasol from the small closet by the door. The day was warmer and sunnier than yesterday, thus I needed to prepare accordingly. Father patted me lovingly on the shoulder and opened the door for me. I walked out with a smile to my father. He did not exactly return it, but he did not look solemn or angry either. He probably still questioned my motives for coming along. It also seemed that he really did not want me to accompany him.
The cheers and laughter of the outside filled my ears. Canterlotia was a city that was active at any hour of day and any day of the year. However, there was one man that instantly took my interest. He was a burly man in white and purple armour of the Royal Guard. The Guard looked down at me with in silence. I could not see his face or even his eyes as they hidden behind the black lenses of his thick helmet. This type of helmet gave all Royal Guards a sense of inhuman likeness. If their colours were not different, it would to tell if they weren't all doppelgangers of each other. Saying that such a man was intimidating would have been an understatement on par with saying that Canterlotia was an average city.
Father walked by me and patted the Guard on his armoured shoulder. "Legate Roberts, I have decided that I do not require your services today. I shall go alone." The Royal Guard named Roberts breathed loudly through the pipes on his helmet.
"Are you sure, Master Belle? Aiding you will not cause any inconvenience for the Guard." His voice was monotone and dark. Like he had never felt emotion in his life.
Father shook his head and gestured at me. "I have thought this through." The Guard nodded as if he understood my father's answer. He bowed and departed us, the sounds of the heavy metal clanged against the cobblestone. People watched him with curiosity and some with fear. The steam flowing from the engine device on his back allowed me to watch him even when I could not see the purple crest of his helmet. Royal Guards were beyond common in the Capital's streets, but they were not regal like the Royal Army nor careful like the Royal Police, they were something else. Something I never truly enjoyed.
Father then faced me with a confident smile. When he saw that I returned his smile with a worried look, he placed a hand on me and shook his head. "Do not worry, my dear, he was only a security measure for today. Some folk have not been happy with me over the past days. The Royals fear for my life, but they worry too much. Far too much. Now, let's walk to the Armour's home. Do not attract too much attention along the way, hmm? Oh, what am I saying? Of course a beautiful girl like you will turn all the heads." He drew me closer and held me in a doting fashion. I was not convinced that his words were true. It reminded me of Flashius' fear of him yesterday. However, I needed to focus on other thoughts, as I was on a mission for that young Officer.
"Ah, this is the place. Odd abode, isn't it?"
I nodded in agreement. The house still gave me a sense of concern. There was nothing different about it since yesterday, but it felt like I had seen it for the first time again. Father did not hesitate and walked up the steps to the front door. He stopped in front of the door and inspected the odd six-pointed star. "Hmm....We should have a symbol like this for our family," Father said.
"But Daddy, isn't the cross on the ring our family coat-of-arms?" I asked him.
Father chuckled. "Oh Rarity, yes, yes it is, but I was thinking something more abstract, like this. The symbol on my ring has been in the family for a long time, a change is due."
I placed a gloved finger to my chin. "Well, I think some symbol of wealth will do. Something elusive and valuable."
He stroked his chin. "Like diamonds? How about three of them in a fashion like this?"
I nodded in agreement. "Yes, maybe have them blue as well? It would match the blue eyes that run in the family, well, except Sweetie."
Father chuckled heartily and knocked on the door. Similar to yesterday, it swung without anyone nearby. Father was just a surprised by it as I was. Also like yesterday, a bright flash from the "security" camera blinded both of us. I expected Twilight to appear with her quirky clapping, but she did not. Instead, Master Armour walked from behind a pile of odd objects. He smiled in a friendly manner and shook the hand of my father and kissed my hand. "Ah, this is an unexpected visit. Do not worry, we have tea brewed and readied. Straight off the stove. Lady Rarity, if you are here to see my daughter, she is attending a customer on the east side of the house."
He beckoned us both inside. I folded the parasol and hung it on my elbow. Upon entry, Father rudely stared at the peculiar surroundings. I, however, kept my reserve and searched for Twilight. Master Armour guided Father to whatever place was the guest room. I was left to my own means to track down that odd girl. Well, I was alone until another familiar face appeared from a hidden couch. He was holding a bouquet of red flowers up to me. I was taken aback by the boy's action. "Spike? What are you doing?"
Spike nervously rubbed the back of his neck and smiled with closed eyes. "I...Uh....I wanted to give you these. I picked them before sunrise." He handed me the flowers and stepped back.
"How....How did you know I was coming?" I asked.
"Oh, I didn't. I was going to go by your house, but...you're here....so there."
"Well, thank you dearly, Spikey-wikey." I caught myself on the last part. I felt my cheeks heat up. He was grinning from ear to ear, obviously proud of his accomplishment. I couldn't say anything after that and walked away with the flowers. He followed however, constantly stifling a giggle here and there and saying "Aw, shucks." I could only roll my eyes at the cute little boy. Fortunately, I found Twilight talking with her....customer.
"Really? That's fantastic! You will love this then."
Twilight excitedly showed the customer the air rifle she showed me. The customer was a young fair lady with long black hair and pink eyes. Her eyes had dark eye-liner that greatly contrasted with her bright eyes. A long scar ran across her right cheek. Her sharp chin and delicate lips finished her countenance. Now, it was her apparel that intrigued me the most. First of all, she wore tight trousers and knee high, black heeled boots. Most of her clothes were a light gray with some pink in there like the pink treble that was sewn on her left shoulder. They appeared to be civilian enough, but with an odd twist to them. She had the usual lacing and frill of women's apparel but they were designed with the purpose of free movement. The hemline of her dress was only reached her thighs in the front and went down to her calves in the back. It seemed she was a mix of Crystallian and Equestrian culture. The Imperials of the north wore dresses that did not go down to the ankles like most proper Equestrian dresses. One could say she wore a short dress, others could say she was wearing embroidered robes. The oddest part was the hood attached to the back of the "robes."
"Why yes, my life is a little more exciting than most. The thrill of adventure has always intrigued me." The woman said. Her accent was smooth and gentle, like a woman of good stature. Though, I could tell she wasn't.
The woman took the rifle in hand and inspected it. With her careful touch I could tell she was accustomed to handling such weaponry. Her eyes darted off the rifle and onto me. The woman gave a smile and nudged Twilight. Her grin was pearly white and her thin red lips only added to their whiteness. "Well, it looks like you have another customer, Lady Twilight."
Twilight turned to me and waved. "Hello Rarity! What brings you here today?"
I walked up to both of them and placed my hand on the counter Twilight was resting on. "I simply wanted to accompany my father here. Now, have you seen Flashius Senti?"
Twilight shook her head. "No, he hasn't been here for at least a week now. My brother says he's off-duty today though."
The black haired woman kept her eyes on me, studying me. I was uneasy under her scrutiny. She seemed to be reading me like a book, trying to salvage any information she deemed worthy. It was as if she knew exactly who I was. I brushed off her inspection and introduced myself. "Rarity Belle, greetings." I bowed slightly at her. A bow which she did not return.
"Belle? Aren't you a lucky daughter? To be born of such stature. I am Octavia Melody de Symphoharmonica. You can just call me Octavia. Pleasure to meet one of your.....caliber." Her voice was friendly enough, until the last word. Her eyes were plastered on me. I saw the pupils dart between my fingers and my bosom, as if looking for something. I searched her as well. She had an odd red sash tied around her waist. In the middle of the sash was an odd symbol made of metal. The symbol reminded me of triangle mixed with a geometrical compass. I was going to ask her about it when the side door opened and Flashius walked in, oddly still in uniform.
"Hello you all. I have come by to...YOU!" He screamed at Octavia.
Octavia chuckled and placed her hands on her hips. He stomped over to her frowned down on her. She did not budge, or even stop grinning. Spike, Twilight, and I were all confused by his reaction. It was obvious that they had encountered each other before. Octavia finally shook her head.
"Officer, I would not mind if you stopped yelling like that. It's getting old."
He pointed a finger at her chest. "Oh yeah? Well if you would stop harassing the city with all the things you do. I...I should take you to the Bastille right now!"
Octavia pushed his hand away. "Flashius...Your threats are useless. I know you don't have the guts to do it. You never have. If you arrest me, you know what will happen to you." At her words, Flashius backed away and cursed. I slapped my face due to his improper etiquette, especially in front of Twilight. Speaking about Twilight, she had removed herself from behind the counter and placed herself between Octavia and Flashius. "
Alright! What's going on? Flash, what has gotten into you? What has she done?"
Flashius opened his mouth and then hesitated. "I....She....She's a bloody criminal. She....She....Oh Twi, don't let her take anything from here."
Octavia sighed and leaned on the counter. Every movement of her body was filled with mockery and disdain. Her fair countenance was shadowed by her arrogant demeanor. She tapped her fingers on the counter in a steady beat. "Flashius, really? I was merely shopping and you had to come and ruin it. Twilight, I do not know what to tell you about our Officer here."
I had enough of simply listening. "Flashius, what is it that you are trying to tell us? She doesn't look like a criminal, why do you say she is?"
Octavia looked at me with sardonic expression. "Hmph. Look at yourself. Criminals don't need to look the type." It took me a moment to understand her words. How dare she!
"The audacity! Lady Octavia, if you are a lady, I shall ask you to take that back!"
She waved a dismissing hand at my face. "I shall not. Your reaction has only confirmed what you are. Even you yourself think that way." With that, the black haired woman walked away. Before she exited the house, she placed her hood over her head. Her gait had made use of light footing. I barely heard her heels click on the floorboards. If I was not watching her, I probably wouldn't know where she would have gone.
"What a jerk! She shouldn't insult Rarity like that!" Spike yelled.
I stood there, trying to take it all in. How did she know? How did she know of my pickpocket habits and ways? Once she heard my name, my surname, she had been far ruder to me. Was it that I was a Belle? A daughter of the banker? My cheeks were red with anger. Far more anger than I was accustomed to feeling. Flashius crossed his arms and glared at the empty door. Twilight appeared bewildered by it all. Spike stood by my side with his little frown. It was adorable to look at, but I was far too upset to notice. Wait. She called me a criminal and I did not deny it. My eyes darted to Twilight. Apparently she had realised this as well.
"Rarity, what did she mean by that?"
I tried to smile. "Oh, nothing darling. She was simply jealous or was being rude. It's easy to accuse someone of something. That's all." Twilight raised a brow at my response. I was not sure if it was my fake smile or my fake cheery voice. Flashius grumbled and leaned on the wall. He still faced the doorway. I knew some wishful thinking was going through his mind. Wishful thinking that was ill for the beastly woman in gray. Twilight's skepticism remained as she started to walk about, adjusting this or moving that. I had only now remembered why I was there in the first place, but Flashius did not seem in the mood to be bothered.
I looked down at the flowers I was holding. At least someone was treating me like a lady today. I patted Spike on the head. "You've been such a dear these two days. I greatly appreciate it."
He looked at me before giving a formal bow. "Anything for my lady."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Spike. You should quit it while you still have that face."
"Twilight, did you know who that was?" Flashius asked Twilight.
"She's Octavia. She's come by three times now. She greatly appreciates my inventions."
Flashius huffed and nodded. He had been expecting this answer. I gestured at Spike for him to stay which he did. I walked over to the Officer. He still had a snarl on his face. I stood next to him and whispered. "What was with that woman? You know her don't you?"
The Officer muttered something under his breath. "She....I don't know what to tell you. I'm not sure I'm allowed to. She is mental. Completely mental. You know that Nationalist party that's been rising up lately?"
I nodded. "Yes, the one ran by that vacillating Cicero Scorpan right?"
He nodded quickly. "The same. She's one of them. She hates the Royals and Loyalists. So, she hates me and you, and probably Twi. I don't know why. Some crusade for the workers I bet. Well, she does nasty stuff in the Capital. We can't catch her because she fights like the devil. That and she has plenty of backup. She's a killer, Rarity, simple as that."
"And she was in here?" I asked, concerned.
He sighed. "Yup. I don't want her to touch Twi. I've dealt with these people. They aren't all like Octavia, but they're all killers."
An idea sparked in my mind. I grinned in confidence and nodded my head towards Twilight. "Then you have what you need. If Twilight knows that you just chased a murderer out of her home, she would be rather grateful. A nice way to commence a relationship. You know, like those delightful classics."
His eyes widened with my voice. We were on the same page. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Rarity." He started to walk over to Twilight, who was working on some invention with a pendulum. I was going to listen on their conversation, but a voice rang through the halls, calling my name.
"Rarity? Rarity! My meeting with Master Armour is finished. Hope I didn't take too long."
At the sound of my Father's voice, I remembered that he was still here. Now, he was leaving and I still hadn't accomplished what I came here for, but I guess that did not matter. I smiled one at Spike last time before heading towards Father's voice. It had been no more than ten minutes that I had been there.
As I walked, I heard the small footsteps of the little boy following me. I thought of telling him something, but I decided not to. The clutter in the house made my journey to my father a little more stressful, as the constant steam-powered machines screeched and moaned. Gears and other parts of devices were scattered on the floor, making me carefully choose my footing. Father's cane thudded against the floor three times, indicating that he was in less-than-patient mood. I finally turned the corner of some boil maker and there he was. Father had already placed his top hat back on and rested both gloved hands on his silver cane.
"Ah, there you are my dear; I hope that I did not take too long."
I stopped in front of him. "Not at all, Father. Though I will admit that your meeting was rather quick for the topic at hand." My father merely shrugged at this and gestured to the door. It was obvious that he did not want to talk about it with little Spike behind me. I nodded my head in understanding. My father never enjoyed speaking to any member of his family while their were other listeners. At that time, I did not comprehend why, but always simply accepted the fact that he was like that. As his daughter, I owed him this much without question.
"Well, Spike, this is where we part ways for now. I hope the morrow will be blessed for both of us." The boy blushed and stood there with both of his hands in a tight knot with each other.
"Maybe a parting gift?" He asked.
"What exactly do you mean?" I asked him in return. His next response was the pointing at his cheek. I knew instantly what he meant and began to laugh. I almost laughed to the point of my mascara being ruined by my tears. Spike, however, was being quite serious and I only knew this when his little face turned red with what I thought was anger. I was about to apologise when he turned and stomped off in the indignant manner.
My mouth opened and I have extended my hand at him, but he did not care and left. Father gave a short chuckle and placed his large hand on my delicate shoulder. "He'll be fine. Young love is tough."
I crossed my arms. "Really Father? He is no older than twelve, a mere boy. He simply knows the difference between lovely and unlovely. It's adorable to say the least."
Father rolled his eyes. "And you? In my eyes, you are still a girl about to be nineteen years' of age. Do you really know so much more than him? He is the son of an astrologist and the brother of an already accomplished scientist and inventor. Do not mistake his age with his intelligence or wisdom."
I sighed in response. "No need for your insightful opinions, Daddy. We were making our way out, weren't we?"
Father simply smiled and nodded, obviously proud of what he had just said. I could not help but smile in return. Father always had his way like that. No matter our mood, be it grumpy, sad, disgruntled, or even furious, we could not stay that way long when Father was around. He was certainly a man I was proud to call Father, or Daddy. "Wait. Father, how did you make that meeting so short?" I asked quickly.
He shrugged. "I made sure he understood his options."
"Another one? The people no longer have the word "civilised" in their vocabulary."
Father's remark drew my attention to the mass of people in the street. We were almost home, but the way had been interesting. Angry rioters burned images of the Royalty or specific government officials or even high ranking businessmen. One man waved a photograph of Sir Frederick Patsi, saying the man was "Nothing more than a pair of Fancy Pants."
Father told me to cover my face and hide it away from the insurgents. I did so quite inefficiently with my parasol. He also hid his face beneath his black collar and we made our way through the small riots. Most of the rioters were young to middle-aged men in simple black or brown coats. Smoke rose not only from the burning images but also the many cheap cigarettes they smoked. Smoking like that was improper behaviour with ladies in their presence. They seemed to be doing everything they could to defile any miniscule rule of delicacy.
"Father, what is their problem that they cannot be peaceful?" I asked.
"Oh, the usual, they simply want everything their way without government or guidance. They blame the Two Sisters for any troubles that arise in this nation." Father pointed at a demonstrator. The man was holding a newspaper which had the title of something and "Wages." Though I only read one word, I knew what they were protesting about. They were a part of the Nationalist, or Unionist group. Always dissatisfied with wages, taxes and lack of overall power. I had never indulged myself into politics of any kind, but these men and the few women certainly imposed their views on any onlookers. Many expletives of the worse kind were shouted across the streets. Loyalists who supported the Royals returned the curses with hateful shouts at their Nationalist counterparts. My father and I had to traverse through the all the fuss with utmost care. As the racketeers were obviously lower middle-class, the sight of my ornate attire and my father's cane would attract unwanted eyes. However, it just my fear as the rioters made no move on us.
The chuckle that arose from the left of me made me turn my head. There was that odd and rude woman, Octavia, there leaning on a boarded shop. One foot was firmly on the cobblestone while the other was up on the wall. Her gray hood was over her head and only the split-ends of her hair escaped it. She was just there, seeming as menacing as any around us. She had a cigarette in left hand. Not taking any notice to me or my father, she raised the cigarette to her thin lips. I could not see her face except only from the tip of her pointed nose to her smooth chin. The next action though showed me that she knew full well that I was there. Once she was done with her little puff of whatever they put in those cigarettes these days, she threw it down on a newspaper by her foot. The embers set it aflame and I saw the word "Bank" smolder in the fire. One could take this as a threat, but I merely thought it was a coincidence. Who was this woman to go around, stirring up such discord? And threaten my family as well? No, that was not her purpose, whoever or whatever she was. I reassured myself with this thought and followed my father closely through the fuliginous streets.
"Father, do you have any enemies we should know about?" I asked him as we escaped the riot.
Father raised a brow at me and frowned. "I suppose so. The enemies are always changing. Names, ideals, mannerisms, and the such. None have ever approached us directly and we are safe from their eyes. Everyone has enemies, my dear; you don't need to worry about them."
I was not satisfied with his answer. It said so quickly and almost dismissively that I had to repeat his words in my mind. "But, Daddy, who are they? Why would you have any?"
"Rarity, I am banker and a dealer with the Royalty. Those rioters would not hesitate to usurp me or dispose of me in some way. Nationalists have been quiet most years, but apparently they are growing bolder. I am simply doing my job and that to them, is a crime."
"Is there any way to stop them? If they are unjust like this, they are no better than criminals or those gangs that roam the lesser Districts and the underground railways. Letting them rove like this would lack proper justice."
Father nodded in agreement. "I'm glad you think so. The Royal Police or even the Royal Guards step in to halt their little demonstrations, but the Royalty must be careful. Any wrong move could start a even bigger riot or worse, a rebellion. The government has their ways and they only seek peace with their subjects. It is a shame that the feeling is not mutual at the moment. Such is this generation."
I lightly slapped him on the arm. "You forget Father, I am a part of this generation too. I possess the common sense of my elders. You've raised me to be more than a pretty face."
Father chuckled and smiled. "Indeed. You shall soon realise how much of a blessed exception you are compared to the rest of this world. It is ones like you that keep the world balanced and in order. For you understand the world, and understanding is the first step to bringing about a new era of peace. A New Order to call home for the masses. But, let us not wander on such heavy thoughts. It's not even noon and the day's been far too long." With that, my Father twirled his cane in the air whimsically. The day had been unique so far. I was glad that I was heading home, and hopefully, stayed at home. Which was the turn out for that day.
Nothing else happened that day except the usual dressmaking and Sweetie's usual behavior. That night, Flashius visited my window again, but instead of setting up another plan to win Twilight's heart, he was ecstatic about how he talked to her after my departure. He actually asked her out, but her extremely complicated work schedule and own plans got in the way. He was disappointed, but certainly had grown in confidence by it. It was a charming way to end the day. However, such is the way of the world, that the next day would be my first in a new life and world. It was the day that this story becomes so incomprehensible.
I had an odd night of dreams again. This time there was a bearded man on a lonely street repeating the words "Tick" and "Tock" exclusively in that order. I walked up to him. When I was about to touch him, he faded away. The sound of his voice remained. I looked behind me and there was a clocktower, chiming away with the motions of the hands. I felt something in my hand. I looked down and in my palm was a necklace. The necklace was that of a red cross. The same red cross. I clinched it in my hand and placed it to my heart. I remembered no more.
Assassin Chapter 2: Lost Spectrum
"Reina! Did you lose the map?"
"Oh shut it...."
"Reina!"
The Assassin in cerulean robes stuck a hand in the little girl's mouth. This gave the Assassin a few seconds of silence before the girl's buzzing continued. "Reina, we're lost aren't we?"
The Assassin sighed and removed her hood. Bright colourful hair sprouted from underneath. The hair was coloured like the rainbow. The Assassin ran a hand through it. The little girl poked her arm. "Reina!"
Reina glared at the girl. She was fed up with the girl's remarks of shame. "Listen, we are not lost. We...We just need to....to..."
The girl crossed her arms. Her purple hair swung itself over her eyes and she blew it back away. The girl's large purple eyes stared at the Assassin with contempt. Reina snarled at her before gazing at the endless city before her. The Capital returned the gaze with its mixed emotions. Sadness, bliss, anger, it was all there before them. Reina was not familiar with the Capital, she had just arrived there. She leaned back and rested her palms on the rooftop they sat on. "It'll be fine, Scoots. Can't be that hard to find an Assassin Den."
"Oh really?" The girl sounded skeptical. "This place looks like the ocean. An ocean of steel."
Reina looked at the girl. "Ocean? You've never seen the ocean. Cloudsdalio was like this too."
Scoots continued to look at her own feet. "I've seen the ocean. I've seen it in a painting once. It looked like this. And Cloudsdalio was.....cleaner."
Reina chuckled at the girl. "The ocean is nothing like this. I remember the East Empires, you know, before I went to Cloudsdalio. They had an ocean. I crossed it, remember?" Scoots nodded. Reina was not an Equestrian by birth. Her heritage was from the far and mysterious East Empires. It made the Assassin easy to pick out among the paler Equestrians. That, or it was her sense of wild style and dyed hair. Scoots was not sure which.
"Soo....Where to go?" Scoots asked after a silence.
Reina stroked her chin and then shrugged. "Eh, we got time I bet. I've kinda gotten comfortable." She then laid herself down on the rooftop and closed her eyes. Scoots grunted at the Assassin's laziness. Scoots was never one to sit in one place for two minutes. She had to be moving, doing something. She could not understand Reina's methods of falling asleep whenever she wanted.
"Reina! We can't just sleep here. What would the Masters say? If they caught us lagging..."
Reina rolled her eyes in frustration. "Girl, you aren't even in the Brotherhood. What are ya, 12? 13? Kinda lost count. Whatever. They can't kick me out neither. I'm waaayyy too valuable to them. You know why I'm valuable to them?"
Scoots gave a long sigh. "Because you're the best runner in Cloudsdalio."
"WRONG! I'm not the best in Cloudsdalio, I'm the best in Equestria! Those cocksucker Masters can't live without me. That's why I'm here and not in Cloudsdalio."
Scoots was confused. "What? I thought the 'Bolts couldn't stand us anymore and sent us here to get us out of their hair?"
"The 'Bolts? That's what they want ya to think, Sis. In reality, they were just jealous. They couldn't stand the thought of an Easterner like myself being better than them. So they sent me here, so that they could look better over there."
Scoots rubbed her chin in thought. She never really had thought about it that way. Reina was known for being arrogant and sometimes unsympathetic, but she was a nice person overall. If the Wonderbolts were jealous of her, it would make sense to kick her out. However, Reina was also known to exaggerate the situation, so she could be telling a lie. Scoots could not make up her mind on her foster sister's claims. She merely shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
"See?" Reina smiled. "Big Sis is always right. Since I'm always right, you should just chill like me. We got time to relax."
Scoots frowned at her. "No we don't! You lost the map. We are lost! We should ask for directions."
Reina covered her face in her hand. "Do you even hear yourself? What ya want to do? Go ask that chump where the Den is? Yeah right. Besides, down there is trouble. Lots of trouble. If we go down in the streets, no doubt a Royal Guard is assault us for being.....different."
"Oh, you scared?"
Reina scowled at Scoots. "Scared? By Tartarus no! I just....Fine! But, if we get bullets in our skulls, it's your fault."
Scoots chuckled. "That shouldn't happen if you're "the best in the Equestria."
"You suck, ya know that?" Reina held the collar of her sister.
Scoots pointed a rude finger. "You suck more! Wait....Suck what?"
"See? What Di' I tell ya? No cares about us being lost."
"Well, that lady appeared nice enough. Why did she cover her nose?"
"Scoots, she is saying that we stink. You know, like a taztlwurm."
"What's a taztlwurm?"
"Guh...Just ignore that..."
Reina started walking down the street. Scoots hesitated before chasing after her. "I think I know what the problem is. You have those katanas on your back. People may think you're a murderer."
"Heh, they wouldn't be far off. But, nah, I keep these blades on at all times. Who knows when a Templar is gonna pop up and attack us."
"I think you're paranoid..."
"Oh, shut it."
Reina sped up her walking speed to about normal speed for the average Equestrian. Her height may have been a factor in their lack of current success. Even though she wore bright colours and had an interesting sense of style, no one could see her over the black and purple dresses of proper women. Equestrians were taller than most countries. Reina didn't consider herself short, but she was definitely smaller. She was lucky Scoots was still shorter than her, and hoped that would last. She however, doubted that her sister would stay small.
The Assassin turned sharply and entered a store. She did not know why she entered the store, but the Eastern style of the shop intrigued her. Maybe she would find another East Imperial in here? The store was cold and dark. The tightness of the walls and objects made her slightly claustrophobic. Scoots followed her inside. It did not take long for the Eastern masks and "dolls" to creep her out. She was glad such things were rare in Equestria. Reina took no mind to the masks and walked by them. She was more interested in the shop's owner. A spry middle-aged man appeared from the gloomy back. He smiled at them friendly, but he did not match his store.
"Hmph, I was hoping an Easterner would be here." Reina muttered.
"Sorry to disappoint, Miss...?" The owner began.
"Dasshu." Reina uttered simply.
"Miss Dasshu." The owner finished. "Well, if you see anything, let me know. There is much more stuff here than from the Far East. I am a collector of sorts. I have relics from the Griffin Confederacy, the Crystal Empire, ancient Equestria, and even from the Southern Wastelands. I'm sure you can find something you'd like."
"Sorry, but, we're not here for shopping. We're kinda lost. You know, new here and all. Can you tell us exactly where we are?" Reina asked.
The owner stroked his white goatee. "You are in the West Sector, Beta District, Adison Neighborhood."
Reina blinked in confusion. "Say what?"
The owner was confused as well. "Huh? I spoke clearly. Where are you from?"
"Cloudsdalio."
"Hmm. I thought they separated the city in the same manor. Well, never mind. I do have a map of the Capital, but it will cost you."
Scoots clapped her hands in excitement. "Really? Oh, Reina, we'll need that."
Reina rolled her eyes and began to search her pouches. "Fine, how much ya geezer?"
"Well, for that remark, 25 bits."
"25 for a map? Are you crazy?" Reina spat.
"Indeed I am. You are not the first to call me that. 25 bits, or no map."
Reina sighed and looked at the floor. She had the money, but that price was far too much. Her hands became fists and her breathing became heavy. Scoots could tell that she was having one of her "moments" where she would completely lose logic for a minute at least. The Assassin's frown became deeper with every second. She was kind of a cheapskate, and would not depart with her bits unnecessarily. 25 for a map? He was loony! She reached over the counter and grabbed the owner by his collar. She then proceeded to drag him across the counter and throw him on the floor. Scoots moaned and could only watch with disappointment.
"You wanna get that by me again? Huh? Ya snow-haired pickle! Ya daft imbecile!"
The man coward away from the woman. "Alright, alright! Don't hurt me! Just take it!"
Reina spat at him and picked up the map from a shelf behind the counter. The owner still grovelled before them. Scoots rubbed her temples in frustration. She had lost count of how many times Reina lost it. That was probably the reason the 'Bolts kicked her out. "Reina, did you have to beat up this man?"
"Of course I did. No man is never gonna cheat me like that! No one!"
"You're insane! Mental!" The owner shouted.
Reina leaned over him. "Bloody right, kono yaro !"
The man grumbled and stood up. He was much bigger than Reina, but was far more intimidated by her than vice versa. The Assassin held a triumphant smirk on her face. Scoots shook her head and walked out of the store. Reina continued to have her smirk on her face. The owner sighed and walked to the back of his store, obviously stuck-up with the previous moments. The Assassin tossed the map in the air playfully and followed her sister out the door.
"Reina, what are we going to do with you?" Scoots gazed at her own shadow on the ground.
"Ah, c'mon Scoots! We got what we wanted right? Now, let's see what we have here."
The Assassin leaned on the wall of the store and unfolded the map. Scoots tilted her head to get a look at the parchment. Reina's grin vanished as she inspected the map. It was not like their previous one, with large red lines and circles, but very complicated and the names that covered their last map were absent. They knew they were the West Sector, but that Sector was a fourth of the entire Capital, thus it did not help at all. They needed to find the Den, but....Where was that?
"Hey Scoots, did ya remember where ol' Captain Firehair told us where the Den was?" Reina asked the little girl. The Assassin was trying to recall what the Wonderbolts told her, but she guessed she wasn't listening at the time. Those 'Bolts always talked too much. She only listened to them half the time.
"That was your job." The purple haired girl jabbed a finger into the Assassin's arm.
"Chikusho! Well, what do you want to visit? Cause we ain't gettin' to the Den anytime soon. Might as well enjoy ourselves." Reina muttered as she inspected the map with confusion. Attempting to find the Den without those circles was going to be finding a needle in a haystack. An invisible needle too. They were more likely to come upon it by accident than use some method to find it.
Scoots rubbed her small chin. They had the whole city to visit, where to start. The names on the map were all unfamiliar. She didn't know if they meant homes, stores, Neighborhoods, or even tourists attractions. She closed her eyes and poked the map. When she opened them, she found her finger on the word "Delta District" in the West Sector. She looked up at Reina. The Assassin shrugged. "Why not?"
"This is soooo boring! Why can't some bobby come and attack us. Why can't a group of gangsters mug us? I'll show them! You know I would. Kick them like that. Huh! Punch 'em there! Yuah! Oh, and give 'em the 360!"
Reina ran up along the wall and spun in midair with a graceful kick at nothing. She continued to fight non-existent foes as the two of them made their way down the street. Scoots was just as bored as the rainbow haired, katana swinging, Cloudsdalian Assassin. Their walk and been one of the most uneventful trips ever. They never crossed on any events, but only the remnants of them. Smoldering paper and trash from yesterday's riots. Shells and casings dotted the cobblestone from previous gang activity. Adventure and excitement was there, but none of it was around them. Reina resorted to her imagination while Scoots went off with her wandering mind.
"I miss Cloudsdalio. It wasn't so....busy and.....boring."
Reina finished a flip off the wall. "Cheer up some. We got this whole Capital to ourselves. No Masters to yell at us. No 'Bolts to scold us. Just a city full of terror and injustice. We could have fun with so many Templars and Royals."
Reina continued to run about, flipping off the wall, climbing on a poll, annoying the fancy women who thought she was some demon possessed individual. One could find humour in it, but Scoots was so used to it that it was old. She needed to have fun as well, but she didn't know how. The Capital was more intimidating than Cloudsdalio, she felt like she didn't belong there. She nodded in agreement with her thoughts. Suddenly, a sound of laughter penetrated her ears. The laughter came from a young girl with pink and purple curly hair. Scoots found the laughter odd as it was quite different from all the others around her. It was high-pitched and full of joy. Scoots began to walk over to the girl.
"It was a phantom I tell you. Don't believe me? Well, go to the tower, you'll see."
The girl was talking to a young boy. The boy had golden hair that reminded Scoots of autumn. The boy's eyes matched his hair perfectly. He gave an awkward salute and ran off. The girl giggled again and watched him go. There was something she was hiding from him. Scoots nudged passed a talking couple and approached the girl. The girl giggled some more before noticing the new girl before her. Once she did, she smiled and waved at her.
"Hello! I've not seen you before. What's your name?" The girl asked. Her emerald eyes inspected the Cloudsdalian girl.
Scoots returned the smile. "Scootaloo. Yours?"
"Oh, I am Sweetalia, but everyone calls me Sweetie. That's an interesting name. How did you acquire such a name?"
Scoots pointed her thumb at the Assassin behind her, who was still being a nuisance to the crowds in the street. "She gave it to me. Just kinda stuck."
Sweetie nodded quickly. "I see. Well, do you want to do anything? I'm waiting for Ben Mashers to come back. I told him that there was a phantom up in the old tower. He bought it and now is on some wild chase." She sounded proud of her mischief on the poor boy. Scoots simply grinned in return. She didn't really find the humor in the prank. The girl was odd to her. She wore bright and well-fashioned clothes. Unlike her, as she were something that appeared to be rags compared to Sweetie. It seemed that this girl had never been on an adventure, had never left the safety of home. Scoots' home was Reina, which meant it was the Brotherhood. For her, everyday was an adventure. This girl needed an adventure.
"Yeah, my sister and I are roaming the city. We gotta find this cool place before the day is over. We're new here and we don't know to go. We have a map and all, but that doesn't help. Wanna help find the cool place?"
Sweetie became even more excited. She hopped two times in the air to express her enthusiasm. "Wow! That's neat. I would love to guide you through the labyrinth of a Capital! Where do you wish to go?" Her squeaky voice reached new levels of pitch as she spoke.
Scoots rubbed her neck sheepishly. "Well, that's sort of the problem. We don't know. You see..."
"Oh look, my sister is out here. Finally!" Sweetie pointed at a tall woman with royal purple hair. She was the most elegant woman Scoots had ever seen. Her sapphire eyes did not look too happy and they narrowed slightly as they took in the girl. The young woman looked at her for a second before turning to see Reina. The Assassin had ceased her antics and leaned on a wall with her hood over her eyes. Sweetie's sister delicately walked over to Reina and they soon were talking. There was much diversity between those two alone.
"She looks nice." Scoots remarked with uncertainty.
"Yeah, she can be. Most of the times she is, but.....Those other times." Sweetie shook her head slowly.
"Tell me about it." Scoots chuckled and crossed her arms.
"Sweetie, where are you? Don't tell me you've wandered off again!"
I searched the house with zealousness. There was no sign of her. I did not want her to play outside due to the riots. None were in the Delta District, but that did not quiet down my worries. My eyes darted to any hiding places in the house. They darted around the kitchen, the workroom, the waiting room, the dining room, and even my own room. It was clear that she was outside.
After yesterday, I hesitated to open the door before me. What if the riots and demonstrations had spread through the night? What if the gangsters had decided to move beyond their territory in the city? What if the Royal Guards were negligent of their daily jobs and were ignoring the insurgents? What if Sweetie had been caught in this and swept away like river overflowing its banks? What if Father was assaulted while he was operating the banks? All these questions filled my worried mind as soon as I took hold of the doorknob.
"No, Rarity, you must be brave. A woman of your stature should not simply coward away. You must do this for your sister." After telling myself this, I opened the door and there she was. No more than across the street at a neighbor's general store. My worries did not vanish though, as she was with a girl about her young age. I knew the neighbors' children that she was acquainted and friends with, and this purple haired girl was not one of them. To tell you the truth, this girl did not even appear to be native to this city. Her dark orange clothes were not exactly rags, but awfully close. Her hair was wild and unkempt, probably due to her constant wearing of the lowered hood attached to her clothes in the back. It reminded me of Octavia's hood. This did not stop me from approaching them. Whoever my sister ever played with, I had met. Now, I had to meet this young girl. When I was in the middle of the street, my eyes caught an onlooker. I must tell you, there were several people in the street at that time. Many of them wore dull colours and top hats, black or red day dresses and the occasional aeneous accessories. But, this one onlooker, had none of those. I tilted my head to look at this peculiar individual. The individual was watching my sister and her little friend closely. As you would probably expect, this did not sit well with me. So, I changed my course from the girls to this short woman . If I could call her that.
This woman was hooded with a cyan silk hood. She was wearing clothes that made her stand out. She had, first of all, a long light blue jacket that reached to her thighs. The jacket would have fit any woman of better height. Two oriental swords were on sheathed on her back. Their long handles reached above her head. Her wrists seemed to have devices on them, as what appeared to be metal hooks slightly jutted out of the jacket's sleeves. Her hands were gloved with black leather until the halfway point on her fingers. Her nails were all misshapen and filthy. Underneath the jacket was only a tight Eastern red garment. She wore nothing underneath the garment, and most of her bosom was bare. She had a kind of tight silk skirt that went only down to her lower thighs. They were a simple blackish colour with floral designs. This "skirt" or more like robes were held up by brightly coloured sashes and belts. There were about seven belts, each a colour of the spectrum. One single buckle possessed the same symbol that Octavia had on hers. She had a type of thin black stocking that ended where the "skirt" did. She wore brown leather boots on her small feet. They were not heeled like most women's shoes and had clearly been wore out. As I approached, the woman took notice of me and smiled. It was a sincere smile, one I had rarely seen before.
"Are you a foreigner in this District, miss?" I politely asked her.
She chuckled through her nose and nodded her head. I could only see below her nose. She was of an dark olive skin tone and her chin was sharp. Her cheeks were high and pointed. "Yes, I am. Actually, I'm foreign to Equestria. Let me guess, you're that girl's mother? Sister? Distant cousin?" As she spoke, her hands moved quickly through the air. I could tell she had trouble standing still. At any point in time, some part of her was moving, be it her twitchy feet or her snapping fingers. Her voice was a bit gruff and had an accent of an Eastern Imperial. She retained her bright smile with her red lips. She did not have lipstick on, as they were red like this naturally. I doubted she had any makeup on at all. However, I'm not sure she needed makeup in the first place.
Now, despite her repulsive attire, I remained pleasant and answered her. "Indeed. She is my younger sister. Now, I assume you are the other's sister?"
She shrugged. The oriental blades on her back rattled with the movement. "In every way but blood. Her name's Scootaloo."
I was taken aback by such a name, so much so that I almost laughed. "Heh, Scootaloo? What kind of name is that?"
The woman's smile vanished and she took a step to me. She had to look up at me as she only reached my bosom. I was in stilettos, so this increased our height difference. She was so close to me that I had to take a step back. "You got a problem with her name?" The voice was hostile and clearly offended. Her magenta eyes contrasted with the shadows on her face.
I put my hands up in defense. "Of course not! It simply rolls off the tongue so well. That's all." I had to change the subject quickly. "My sister's name is Sweetalia, but everyone calls her Sweetie." This answer satisfied the woman and she drew back. She inspected me for some seconds and then extended out a hand. The other hand removed her hood, revealing rainbow-coloured hair. Yes, rainbow-coloured. Her hair cut was just as bold as well, having it short and wild. I had never seen a cut like that, but it matched the rest of the magenta-eyed woman. Talking about her eyes, it was what made her nationality clear, she was of far East Imperial descent. The thin, angled shaped eyes and the skin gave it away. However, her Equestrian pronunciation was almost spot on, except when she was lazy enough to speak like a sailor.
"That's a'ight. Name's Reina, yours?"
I decided to joke with her. "Reina? I would assume you would be called Rainbow."
She smiled at this. "They actually do. People jus' call me Rainbow sometimes." We shook hands. Her grip was tight and lacked etiquette. I heard my fingers pop in her grip. It was like she thought we were arm wrestling.
"Pleasure. I am Lady Rarity Belle." Like everyone else who had heard my name before then, her expression changed. Her face did not become angry like Octavia, but instead more of a mischievous grin.
"Belle? Should've known. Luckily for you, I'm from Cloudsdalio." When I didn't respond her grin faltered. "I can tell from your face that you didn't get that joke. This is going to be interesting." She withdrew her hand and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
I rolled my eyes. "Hmph, everyone seems to puke at my father's name. What is with you people?"
Reina drew back in mock surprise. "Really? Geez, I wonder why that is?" She dismissed her words with a wave of her hand. "Eh, don't worry about it. No harms done right? Right? C'mon, you shouldn't let any of that stop our conversation. Let's talk about our sisters over there. How is Sweetie?" Her tone was mocking, but her last words seemed sincere and honest. I could not tell if it was merely the gruffness in her accent, or that she actually meant it. But, I appreciated that she was not rude like the other hooded woman. She actually was quite polite, even for her roguish looks.
"Sweetie is a brilliant young child. Though she can be cynical and is a realist, she is a great sister to compliment me."
Reina nodded in understanding. "Well, Scoots ain't my real sister, but we're tighter together than a couple of hydra necks. She's a tough one, and canny too. One of the few gals who can keep up with me."
Her last sentence intrigued me. "Keep up with you? What do you do for a living?"
At this, her face knotted and she groaned. The grimace she made lasted quite a time, along with the grunts and little mumblings. She never made eye contact with me. "Yeah.........I........Messed up there. Uhh....I do stuff. Awesome stuff. I run, I climb, I do stuff. Yeah." I only blinked at her suspicious response. She gave me a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her neck again.
I wanted to question her further, but decided not to. Especially after seeing the holsters underneath her jacket. Both holsters held revolvers and were clearly loaded. It was illegal to carry weapons like that. Especially hidden. She must have somehow smuggled these pistols or stole them off of a Royal soldier. I knew instantly why she did not tell me her profession, as she was obviously a gang member or insurgent or even some Imperial assassin from the East. Maybe she was a Nationalist like Octavia. I could not risk getting on her 'bad side' as they say. The wisest choice of action would be to call an Officer on her. Not only for her weapons, but also her heinous and improper fashion. This also made me want to alienate my sister from Scootaloo. A girl being with one like Reina could be only trouble for dear Sweetalia. I started to backpedal from the short woman. I kept my hands up in a defensive posture and kept a fake smile on my lips. Sweetie took notice of my presence and began to walk over to me, along with Scootaloo. I did not know they were approaching me as I kept my eyes on Reina.
My Sister tugged at my dress. "Rarity, you're here, finally! I want to formally introduce you to my friend, Scootaloo." Sweetie took hold of my hand excitedly and pointed at the young girl. Scootaloo gave me a broad smile and jumped in joyfulness. Scootaloo had large dark purple eyes that matched her hair. She was taller and thinner than my sister, though clearly not as properly raised. The girl appeared more like a gremlin than a proper human being. One could tell just by inspecting them both that their beginnings were quite different. However, the girl was Equestrian by birth and not an Easterner like her "sister." I guessed that was of some worth.
I smiled my best innocent smile. "That's wonderful and all, Sweetie, but lunch is upon us. We should go inside and find out whatever Mother is cooking."
Sweetie raised a brow and looked at the sun. "Really? By the position of the sun, it is still 45 minutes until noon." Her quick wit in everything but the plain obvious made me growl. Sweetie had a brain like no other in the family, but she lacked the discernment to take a subtle hint. However, Scootaloo was the opposite. Upon my words, her smile vanished, much like Reina's did moments ago.
"What ya tryin' ta say?" she asked me with a slight impediment in her speech. Being caught in such a situation made me uneasy. The girl's bigger sister was only a metre away. I silently prayed to Celestia for escaping and I took Sweetie's hand.
"Hey! Lunch is not in 45 minutes!"
I shushed her. "Sweetie, listen to your elder sister. There is wisdom in this decision beyond your years." My sister struggled, but in vain. I successfully dragged her away from the two. Behind me, Reina chuckled loudly. She was making sure I heard what she said.
"Ya see Scoots? The rumours about Canterlotian women are true. Always snobby and arrogant in some way. C'mon, we still need to get directions, remember?" The sting of her mockery was painful, but my decision to be so snobby was necessary. I had to defend my sister from such crooks, no matter their company. Sweetie would not forgive me the rest of the day for that, but I did not care. I was glad she was safe. It was a decision I cherished. It seemed such ghastly people were spawning out of Erebus.
Tick Tock
Tick Tock
Tick Tock
This was the sound of the area that surrounded me. Were there clocks? No. There was nothing really at all. Just space and ticking. Where was the ticking coming from? I did not know, probably somewhere beyond my sight. The sound was just there. I looked about without a drop of worry. Nothing but loose sand was around me. Kilometres of it. Was that all that was there? Well, no. There were two large insignias above my head, in the white sky. So similar, yet so different. They were by far the only items of interest. One symbol was my father's red cross. It was lined with gold edgings. The other was Octavia's and Reina's metal buckles. Shiny and seemingly omnipotent. Tick Tock, Tick Tock. The ticking was always present. My ears grew so accustomed to it that they were soon blocked. I simply stared at the images above me. The cross, the woman's decal, the cross, the metal triangle, the red cross and the silver symbol. What were they doing up there? Were they staring back at me? I had only now begun to question where I was. Though without much care. Suddenly, the sounds of war erupted in the far distance. I could only see smoke rising from the sandy horizon. I looked back at the symbols. Only the cross remained. Though it was burning and aflame. It then disappeared in smoke. In its stead was the sun. The sounds of war drew nearer. Shouts and the sounds of breaking glass filled my ears.
"You used to be honourable! What happened?"
"Ha! It doesn't matter how honourable this is! It's plain, bloody JUSTICE!"
I awoke from my slumber with a start. A cold sweat was on my back. The dream of the sand was no more. I was in my bed and the night covered it in darkness. The sounds though, they remained. They were not loud in any way, but they drew my attention. Something was wrong, very wrong, and it was downstairs. I pulled the covers off and rushed to my door.
"C'mon old man, put up a fight." The voice was masculine and deep. I heard a loud thud and my heart raced with fear. Fear, and yet I was running to the sounds of chaos. I rushed down the stairs, only in my silk nightgown. Someone was inside the house. An intruder that was reeking havoc across the place. The house was dark as ever and I had to make sure not to trip. When I reached the bottom, the floors were covered in overturned furniture and broken vases. Another thud reached my ears from the kitchen. I made haste towards it.
"You're nothing like they say, Hondo!"
Father! I ran down the hallway with all my might. My father was being attacked. This thought alone brought fearful tears to my eyes. I entered the kitchen. There my father and this man in black fought. The man had a hood over his head and long trench coat. My father was in his nightgown. I could see blood running down from his temples and he had a black eye. In my adrenaline rush, I opened a drawer and withdrew a steak knife. I gripped the wooden handle tightly and I ran at the intruder. He was on top of my father, trying to get some upper hand. I charged at him and stabbed him deeply in the back. The attacker let out a howl fit for Tartarus.
"Foolish girl!" He shouted and in one quick motion, slapped me firmly across the face. In the dark, it was like a sudden flash and I found myself on the cold floor. I had never in my life been hit so hard and the pain numbed my cheek and eye.
"How dare you lay a hand on my daughter!" Father seized the man's neck. The attacker lifted a hand in the air. In the faint light, I saw the glimmer of metal coming out of his sleeve. It was blade of some sort. In a desperate attempt, I grabbed his arm and pulled it back.
"You're next!" The man shouted with a fury like no other. Then, the sound of bones snapping was heard loudly as my father twisted the attacker's neck. The arm I held became limp instantly. Father threw the corpse off him and crawled to me.
"Rarity! Rarity! Are you alright?" I could not see his face, but the worry in his voice told me that he was fine. I did not find a way to speak and I only nodded. In fact, I was crying and only sobs were heard from my throat. Father sat up and embraced me. He started to kiss my forehead lovingly. "It's alright my dear. My dear Rarity." His large hand stroked my hair. My heart had not calmed down at all. My eyes were fixed on the attacker's body. Blood oozed slowly from the wound I inflicted upon him.
I finally conjured the bravery to utter again. "Father....Daddy, who is that man? Is he a man or a demon sent for us?" Father gave a long sigh. A sigh that I never forgot. The sigh was full of regret and sorrow.
"No, Rarity, it is unfortunate that he is... or was human. I was....I was going to tell you when you were older, but they, him, the Assassins, have made their move on me and my family. It cannot stand. To come into my house and threaten my family! The audacity!" Father's voice raised in sheer anger. "How could they? The Brotherhood had been somewhat respectable in the years past. But now? No! No! Rarity, I told you I had enemies, well, he was one. There are more and more like him. They seek death and destruction, all in the name of a hopeless freedom. They kill anyone who possesses the bravery to disagree with them. I so happen to be one of them. the Belles, your heritage, has also opposed them. You see my ring? It is not our family symbol, but the symbol of those who seek order and justice. I am Templar. The fourth Templar of your family. I was not going to let you become one. I am the first to not have a male heir for the Order. I was hoping you would have a normal and pleasant life, but that is out of the window. The Assassins have made it clear that it does not matter if you wear this ring or not. They will kill you. You have to follow my footsteps. You have to become a Templar like me. Do it not for the nation, or the Royalty, but for me and your sister and mother. Rarity, do not say a word of this to Sweetie. She still has a chance to make it in this world without this secret war. Neither to your mother, she has enough worries as is."
I hesitated. This was my phantasma becoming reality. The cross and that symbol, what I knew now was the Assassin insignia was all clear now. I still rested my head on my father's chest while he talked. I listened heavily to every word and every syllable. Father's voice had become weak as he spilled out his speech. It was clear that he wished and yearned for all this to be undone. The corpse was still there, on the kitchen floor that I laid on. Father looked down at me dotingly. My eyes soon became fixed on his bloodied ring. The Templar ring that symbolised his allegiance.
"Daddy....I accept this. I do not know how much good I'll be to this Order, but I know that men like this cannot roam about and slaughter. What will I do for you?"
Father nodded. He had a sincere frown upon his countenance. "My dear, I will train you the way your grandfather trained me. You must be skilled to survive against the Assassins. We shall commence tomorrow. I will make you into a warrior of a woman. Do not be afraid, all will be alright. Now, quiet your tears. We must dispose of this corpse before your mother or Sweetie come down here." He lifted me off his chest and stood up. Without any hesitation, he grabbed the corpse by the armpits and began to slowly drag him out of the house. Father did not even remove the steak knife from the man's back. I could now see the Assassin's face. He was handsome young man with a thin black beard. If he was not in such apparel, I would have judged him as a noble young man. Though, that was the last time I saw him as Father dragged him out of the door and into the streets. I did not know where he disposed of the corpse, but neither did I care. In my traumatized state, I began to place the knocked over furniture upright.
"Rarity, what are you doing?" Father asked me when he returned.
I kept silent and continued to fix the house. Father hugged me tightly since I did not respond. "These next days could bring anything to us. You must be ready to survive." Father's words were barely heard. Survival? Fighting? War? I knew nothing of this. What was I to do? I could barely think as I rested in my father's arms. Was this a new life for me? I gave one last look at his ring. That cross. The cross that was now embedded in my mind for countless reasons. What did it truly represent? I no longer knew. It was now something bigger than both Father and me. Something that had a history and a story. A story that I did not look forward to enduring.
Chapter 5: Knight's Genesis
"Father, why do you have a black eye?"
"Because I fell down the stairs. Now, Sweetie, please don't interrupt again. Alright? We were burglared last night. I fell down the stairs trying to find the rapscallion. He evaded me. Now, I believe a change of location is necessary. The Royals have always had an abode in the Royal Grounds waiting for us. I have turned them down in the past, but now, I shall accept it for protection and general loveliness. We shall begin packing immediately. Betty, do not worry about transport. Prince Blueblood has already arranged for a large carriage to carry our belongings."
Mother crossed her arms. "Hondo, if Prince Blueblood is arranging it, then why don't we use the transit beneath the city? It's much faster than a carriage."
Father dismissed his wife's complaints with a hand. I simply sat at the corner of the dining table, sipping my morning tea. I had not gained any more sleep through the night, thus I quite 'out of it' that morning. Sweetie had already commenting on my sleepless look, saying that I appeared similar to an "undead." On most days, I would have retaliated to the insult, but this was not one of those days. She also pressed questions about my mood which I left unanswered. I placed my mug on the table and rested my head in my hand. Father continued to have a smile on his bruised and battered face. He was trying to be optimistic, but I suspected he was the only one. When he realised this, he sighed and took some steps away from the table.
"Daddy, what about our dressmaking business?" Sweetie asked.
Father placed his hands behind his back, thinking carefully. "My dear, the business will continue, just in a different place. I doubt our lives will change at all. Though we will be around Royalty like the Princesses and the nobles." Sweetie beamed at this. She always had a fascination about the Royals. I did too, but I would have expressed more excitement if I was ignorant like she.
Mother seemed unconvinced by this move by our family. She only frowned at her husband. Father stood there silently. I could tell he did not know what to say. Because of this, I felt that my voice was needed to seal the deal.
"Mother, I am confident that this change of location will only benefit us. As you know, the rioters are mostly in the east and south parts of the city. The Palace is at the north end, away from all these troubles. Such a move will only increase profit and safety. I see nothing wrong with Father's actions."
Mother leaned back in her chair. she finally nodded in understanding. "Fine, but we shall have to make this quick. I cannot stand rooms without furniture, even if it is temporary."
We transferred our belongings to our new home, the aptly named "Belle Domicile" mansion. It was located in the Solar District of the Royal Grounds. The Royal Grounds were a two-District wide area within the Wall that sat between the lesser Districts and the Grand Royal Palace. Now, the Beta District we lived in was wealthy enough, but the Royal Grounds saw no poverty of any kind. This was due the Wall, a massive fortified stone wall that separated the poor and the rich. We had to go through it a couple of times and I was allowed to see that it was heavily guarded at all moments. There was only one entrance, the Gate Elysia. It would only open for those who live inside the Wall and those who seek presence with the Royals; otherwise, one would be forcibly rejected. It was the perfect defense against the terrorists of the Capital.
The Royal Grounds were the epitome of Canterlotian lifestyle. Nobles, wealthy merchants, traders, business owners, all lived here in general peace and quiet. This was just how I liked it, or so I thought at that time. The roads were clean, no ruffians or hooligans in sight, not even the smoke of the factories floated above our heads. The shadow of the Palace crossed over it with the sun's passing. The Grand Royal Palace was much larger up close, even though it was still a good two hours away. We had only moved across the Capital, but it felt like we moved to a different city entirely. A city with a much better understanding of a proper and successful civilisation.
Belle Domicile was three stories tall, not including the basement. Calling our new home an upgrade would be an understatement. This place was not a vacant home that we decided to inhabit, but a mansion built specifically for us. Sweetie Belle and Mother were delighted to live in such a place. I myself could only see the benefits as I forgot the reason why we were there. Father had to remind me of the Templar and Assassins several times.
Now, you must be asking, "How did your Father have such a place?" Well, that was one of the first questions I asked him by the time we moved in. It was late that night and he brought me inside the Palace to its "basement." If you could call it that. It was underground and built for storage at one time, but was now a sort of training room furnished for the Night Watch Battalion of the Royal Guard. The Night Watch guard the Grand Royal Palace with stealth and secrecy. My father told me that no more than three were seen at one location at the same time. Princess Luna had commenced the Night Watch program, but like most things non-holiday or non-celebration related, she forgot about them and they functioned without her orders. But, back to my Father and I, when I asked him this, he answered like this.
"Rarity, being a Templar like myself grants special privileges. Prince Blueblood always wanted me by his side, so he constructed that home specifically for me. I never enjoyed living in wealth and being near a palace, so I rejected his offer. You see Rarity, I am more than a simple banker, I control all the banks in Canterlotia. I am the Royal Treasurer. Living like I did put me off the searches of the Assassins. I acted poorer than what I or well, we were. This helped until now. The Assassins have found my involvement in the Royalty and seek to end my life. I had to accept the protection; otherwise, we would still be at our previous home."
I nodded my head at this answer. These Templar were simply an organisation within the Royals. It made sense that they would wish to stick in close proximity. "Now, Father, if you wish to make me a Templar, what requirements do I need beforehand?" I asked him.
"In reality, not many. All you need is the will to make life better for others, to know that order and discipline is the way to guide the masses. But, to take my place in the Inner Circle, to be a proper Belle heir, you will need more. You will need to be able to fight and survive any situation. You must be quick-witted and even twice as charming. Charisma is your friend and Regulars, your allies. If you impress the Grandmaster, you will take a seat in the Inner Circle beside me, until then, you will be merely a Knight that operates in the dark."
A Knight eh? This made me laugh. The title sounded hysterical. Father glared at me. I instantly stopped and gulped. I had never seen him look so serious before. "Rarity, you must know that this is of the utmost seriousness. I am entrusting you with our government. Do not screw up. Come closer, we shall start on our first lesson."
I walked up to him. He kept beckoning me to come closer until I was next to him. My father was not in his usual business clothes but was in work apparel. This was the opposite of me as I wore a dress and everything that came with one. Just because I had a new title wouldn't mean that my fashion would change. That was my thought process as of then. Father patted me on the shoulder.
"Survival is lesson number one. You must train your senses to be on alert at all times. Assassins can go through a ballroom and kill a dozen before anyone notices the first one drop. They hide in plain sight and use weapons that are concealed within their clothes. Observe."
He lifted his hand to the air and behold! A blade shot out from under his sleeve. One could not tell that it was there before he revealed it. The blade was long and shiny. Then, just as fast as it popped out, Father made it disappear under his sleeve again.
"Father! Did you have that the whole time?" I asked.
"Indeed. I took these off the Assassin that attacked us last night. I have never used such weapons nor do most Templar. We are fortunate enough to possess two. There is one on my other wrist. I am giving them to you. They will aid you more than they will me. Men can get away with a decorative sword on their hips, but women must appear as helpless as possible. With these, you will always be armed and deadly. And they will not inhibit your fashion as they hide under your sleeves." He proceeded to pull back his sleeves, revealing the whole device. They were simple and small, but their effectiveness was bountiful. It was not hard to place them on my own wrists and they could easily fit under the sleeves of my dress. The only problem was the odd way one must activate the blades. I had, more than a couple times, almost cut my fingers off. It took some days to perfect.
"Now Rarity, you see this room? There could be an Assassin or some insurgent in this room, pointing a blade or gun at us. That is the life of a Templar. You must believe that you are in danger so that you can survive. Rule one of survival: Survive. Everything I tell, teach you, is important. Any slip up and you may be buried and forgotten. Do you understand me?"
"Yes Father, I understand you." I humbly told him.
He smiled broadly. "Then you are ready. Now, I cannot initiate you by myself. I do not have that authority, only the Grandmaster does. You shall meet him soon enough. You shall meet most in the Inner Circle in the next few days. They are respectable fellows; well most of them, and you should feel right at home with them. We are in need of a young woman like you anyway. Hmph, this would be the time where I would start your training, but I see that you are ill-equipped in that lovely, but restricting dress. So take it easy tonight. Just think about what I've said and maybe, heh, make some outfit for combat. Haha." Father began chuckling loudly at himself. I knew his words were jokes, but a sense of inspiration swept over me.
"Idea! Daddy, that's brilliant. I could absolutely astound with such an outfit. Something that will let me run free yet be womanly enough to keep me under guise. I've seen such apparel before. Oh, this is truly amazing! Thank you Daddy, for tonight, and everything. I must get back; I must start on this while I still have the inspiration!" And with that, I excitedly ran off. My father made some grunts in confusion, but did not stop me. The images of Octavia and Rainbow gave me ground to work with. I had to find a pencil and some paper. This was going to be my new signature look.
I shall speed through the next six months. Now, plenty happened these six months, but most of it was repetitive and do not require much detail. I trained. I trained with Father nightly on skills such as unarmed combat, swordplay, marksmanship, and more abstract things like awareness, problem solving, stealth, charm, seduction, and business. My father did not push me beyond my limits, but patiently allowed me to hone my skills. I believe that I inherited such skills since I excelled at them. I was not a brutal fighter by any means, as I considered combat a form of art. And like all art, it must be beautiful to observe. Thus, my weapons of choice were an old fashioned Equestrian rapier, balanced and made with fine steel and a golden hand guard. The length of the blade was slightly less than a metre. Anything longer was awkward to handle. Other weapons included the hidden blades and my own six-shooter. Now, this revolver was not like the simple ones of the Ponevilla Valley. This was meant for Royalty, and thus, meant for one like myself. It was golden and engraved with lovely swirling designs. It also, unlike my father's, had a unusually long barrel. Most revolvers in the city were snub-nosed and meant for very close encounters. Mine was versatile and could be used at a respectable distance. Another was my lever-action rifle. I rarely carried this gun around, only on missions that it could have use. I never liked using it due to its unpredictable kickback. More than once I almost fell over from its power and left my shoulder aching the next day. My father found this quite humorous. The other rifle was much more to my liking. It was the air rifle that Twilight offered me. It had no kickback and was completely silent. Father did not see its usefulness when I traded for it, but I knew its true value. When I suggested to him that one could use it as a modern poison blowpipe, he became excited. In a matter of days, he came up with such darts that would put a person in deep slumber. Last but certainly not least, was my favorite weapon: Myself. I was a woman of unmatched beauty and that meant that I had an advantage. I already knew the art of seduction, as I made certain deals with rapscallions or gentlemen to gain something they took or something I wanted. My father wanted to use this. Do not worry, he did not know of my previous experiences, but he was confused by how excellent I was at it. For my training, I had to seduce him, which was rather awkward to say the least. After I was done, he made this more awkward by saying "I'm glad I'm a faithful husband."
Oh, I almost forgot, since I was an unofficial Templar, I made sure I looked the part. I based my combat outfit, a name my father ridiculed, on Octavia. It was similar, but without a hood. I would not wear such a thing as it would ruin my hair. I made sure my outfit allowed me to run, scale, and be lovely enough so that I would not look like a man. I started with the collars. They were white high collars that hid most of my neck and could be folded to cover my face. I wore plain white shirt underneath a purple satin vest. The vest was longer than most and actually had coattails in the back. Now, I did this purposely, as to conceal my revolver on my back hip in the winkles of the red sash I used as a sort of holster. This type of tighter clothing was foreign to me, but it made me feel sort of free. My hands were covered in thin black leather gloves. The knuckles of the gloves had small bits of metal speckled in them, so that my punches would be quite harmful. Next was a leather belt that went beneath my sash. Small pouches were connected on this belt. I usually placed small devices or objects in them, such as ammunition or, what Father suggested, a couple of smoke pellets. He made sure I was prepared for everything. He based my ways on an Assassin, as they were the very best at what they did. He was making sure that I could survive in this secret war. My trousers were tight like Octavia's. Only, I made mine an off white. In the shoulders, elbows, and knees, I placed layers of fabric to give them some sort of protection. I took the idea from Twilight's experiments on having fabric become armour. Lastly were my knee high black leather boots. My father was confused by this choice, but the way Rainbow wore such boots made me think she knew what she was doing. Although, unlike hers, I still wanted to keep my elegant shape, thus my were heeled at 10 centimetres. Do not worry, they were not stilettos, I was not dimwitted. I protected my lower legs with these boots by placing steel speckled leather covers over them. It was minimal protection from a sword, put it would do against a knife. All I can say is that my father thought I appeared ridiculous and unfit for combat. I fought him on the matter, and well, won.
Since you know what Father and I did, it is now time for me to go into my new allies: the Templar Order. We were an Order that tries to give the world peace and order. To do this, we required the acquisition of power and wealth. We controlled the masses in order to guide them to a better life. I know you have never heard of this Order, which is done purposely. We worked in secret since the world would oppose us if they knew of our involvement. Humanity seeks order; it is a natural instinct to place a leader above the rest. Humans pick the best, the wisest, the most handsome to lead. The Templar were all those in one. At this time, we were the government of Equestria. The Order was guiding the nation to prosperity and peace. They did so in a civilised manner, unlike our enemies, the Assassin Brotherhood. The Assassins murdered whoever disagreed with them; we however, would place them in the Bastille.
Many Assassins called the Bastille home when I entered the Order. Though not all, and those that roamed the streets started riots against the crown. They were the cause of the unrest in the city. Over the six months, these riots grew larger and more frequent. The riots made some people split into two political groups: The Nationalists, who wanted to rid the crown, and the Loyalists, who wanted to keep the crown. Though most were moderates that simply did not want to offend either party. The Assassins helped fuel the Nationalists and they soon became more prominent and a terrorist group. The Templar backed up the Loyalists and resisted the rebels' attacks. It was not a revolution by far, but merely civil unrest. Nationalists were mostly poor folk with poor weapons, thus the Royals held the higher ground by the end of these six months.
Through this time, I met the Master Templars that ruled the nation. These Masters were also known as the Inner Circle. I did not meet them all at once, as I was not allowed to know where they met. Because of my Father being in the Circle, they had a sense of trust for me already, so I was allowed to meet them before my eventual initiation. I shall go from the lesser Master Templars to lastly, the Grandmaster. The first on my list was one Beatrix Lulamoon. If you thought I was arrogant, then she would be far beyond the word's meaning. Beatrix referred to herself as the "Great and Powerful." She had no ties with Royalty but made her way into the Circle by sheer loyalty. She was boisterous and constantly reminded others about her superior ways. She was by far, my least favorite of the Templar. Now, she was excellent at what she did, which was ordering underlings. She never faltered in the Templar ideals and, mostly, stayed above barbarianism when dealing with disloyal Templars. However, it did not take long for me to realise she was in the Order for her avarice.
The next Templar, or Templars, were the Sirens. This was what the Inner Circle called three young women codenamed Adagio, Aria, and Sonata. One could believe they were sisters, but they certainly were not. They constantly hummed or sang whenever they could. They were very talented singers and their songs often would catch a man off guard. They were the Circle's best seducers and always willing to get their hands dirty. I have feeling they could seduce women as well with their lustful personalities. Their leader was Adagio, a very interesting character. She was by far, the most devious and cunning of the three, but saying that did not amount to much. Do not get me wrong, she was intelligent and competent enough, but she lacked subtlety. They all did. Unlike most women, they wore skimpy outfits and no etiquette. Adagio was no exception. She often used coarse language and was very opinionated. She led the other Sirens with firm fist and often a left hook.
The next was Aria, the very definition of pessimist. I never saw her smile once or even say a positive thing. She was quite bold in how she talked to the Grandmaster, always showing errors in their plans and predicting doom. Now, she did not do this to get on other's nerves, but to simply help plans not have any areas of faults. She was quick to see where a plan would go wrong, allowing others to fill in the gaps. I rarely spoke to Aria, as it was a chore to even approach her. When she sang though, her mood was always better.
Last and certainly not least, was Sonata. She was the opposite of Aria in every way. She was by far the least cunning or generally intelligent of the group, but she was a friendly and charming young woman. She was the most pleasant of the three in fashion, cheer, and innocence. She had an odd fascination with cuisine from the south of Equestria. Actually, she had a fascination with about everything. For her lack of overall intelligence, she made up for her diversity of topics one could discuss with her. She admired people as a whole and that was her wish as a Templar: To get all people peacefully under one roof. This may seem naive, but when you spoke to her, you had to agree just to make sure you don't ruin her bright smile. Now, she did have a sense of anger, but it would be directed at Aria and no one else. I was never on her angry side and we often had pleasant conversations. I would say that other than my father, she was the first of the Circle that I made friends with.
The next Templars were a noble couple, Jet Steens and his wife, Uplyia de Croust. Jet was a quiet man with a strong accent. He was extremely cunning and was well-versed in philosophy. This, however, was not his main quality. He was an engineer. Always developing new machines and mechanics that rivaled Twilight. Like Twilight, he made weapons and other devices. Unlike Twilight, he kept to himself most of the time. I often saw him twiddling his thumbs, listening to the others. I did not know if he was shy or simply reserved. He was not a handsome man and wore large spectacles. I often assumed that this was the reason, but I doubt it was something that shallow.
Now, his wife was older than him and just as not handsome. She talked much more than her husband and it seemed like he used her as a sort of mouthpiece as he would often whisper in her ear. Her accent was just as strong as his, suggesting she was not a Canterlotian native. She was a harsh woman that was conservative in all her viewpoints. She often condoned me for my fashion. She was a crone to be exact. I believed she was just jealous of my age and beauty. She wouldn't be the first in my life to be jealous like that. However, the Grandmaster respected her greatly since she was one of the main strategists in the government. I will admit, she knew what she was doing most of the time. Politics were a foreign world to me, thus I accepted my petty role beneath these people.
The next were two I admired the most: Frederick Patsi and his gorgeous wife, Fleur de Lis. He was of noble blood and she was the daughter of a failing businessman. They often told stories of when they were younger. They seemed like a pair of grandparents to me. They took me in with no worry and graciously welcomed me to the Order. Frederick was a jolly and wise man. He was slightly rough on the edges, but not enough to make me uneasy. The man always wore a long coat and a monocle. He was the epitome of men's fashion and style. There was no comparison between him and my father. My father knew fashion well enough, but he could not pull it off like Master Patsi. Frederick, other than my father, was the Templar I chatted the most with. He was a veteran in the Order and like myself, had a heritage of Templars. Our relationship was also aided by the fact that my father and he were tight friends. Thus, Father allowed me to be under their careful eyes more than once. Master Patsi taught me many things about how to run a business and how to order those under your command.
His wife, Fleur, was just as kind to me, but she was far more serious than Master Patsi. Even though she was in her mid-40s, she appeared no more than 30. She, like me, had a taste of fashion and proper etiquette. She was a strong woman that saw the world as it was. A realist. She thought humanity would fail if such things as freedom were allowed. "People need to be ruled by those who understand leadership. Any other way would cause a collapse in the system." She trusted the Grandmaster with that leadership. For all her elegance, she was not fond of parties. She found them dull and lacking excitement. She was a courageous woman that was trained in arts of unarmed combat. This was due to her involvement with Royal Army. This was mostly likely traced to her early life experiences. She was no stranger to shady business and the consequences of spoiled deals. Her father was murdered by a rival businessman. Because of her father and his dealings with the organised crime of the Capital, she was also branded as a criminal that dealt with the Canterlotian Underworld. After her father's death, she was caught and arrested by the Royal Police. Her sentence was three years of service as a Royal Soldier in the Southern Wastelands. It was the only way a woman could get into the military. Unlike most who are sentenced into service, she survived the borders and returned to Patsi's arms. Ever since, she acted like Frederick's bodyguard. Under her dresses, she would carry pistols or knives just in case. She also controlled squads of certain rough folk in the city. They were her eyes and ears of what transpired beyond the Palace gates. She was the prefect woman to lead such ruffians. She was firm and to the point, but not menacing in any way. Fleur taught me how to operate with the underworlds of the city. And how to rival the Assassins' counterpart gangs.
Then there was my Father, the right-hand man to the Grandmaster. He controlled all the money flowed that in or out of the Order's grasp. He also was respected by all the Inner Circle and did not shy away from suggesting plans to the Grandmaster. Now the Grandmaster was one young man by the name of Prince Atticus Blueblood. This man was the nephew (but in reality cousin) of the Two Sisters. He was not even 25 years of age, but his mind was unmatched. He was the most handsome man I ever laid eyes on; his only fault was his greasy blond hair. He had a rich accent that soothed anyone in the room. He spoke eloquently and with a confidence that only Royalty could conceive. You could say I fell in love with him at first sight. You would not be wrong. When I saw him, I knew the Templars were where I belonged. He was immaculate in my eyes. He always wore an archaic fashion with decorative swords and white military uniforms. He filled the uniforms rather well and his skin was just as smooth as his voice. His light blue eyes had a sense of constant understanding. He never lashed out at anyone in the Circle, but he could make one feel miserable by his soft scolding. He knew the mind very well and exploited what he could to get others to do his bidding. When he gave me orders, I needed no convincing. He often caught me in my wandering fantasies of being with him. And I would catch myself staring at him dreamily. A man like him deserved a woman like myself, I thought. Now, you must be thinking that I was out of my mind for falling in love my new boss. You would be correct. Father actually expected me to take a liking to him before I even met him, thus he often reminded to look at Blueblood like a superior officer and not some prince. It was hard and I kept at those thoughts through the months. Even though he was obviously not interested in me, he knew I was interested in him. For all his cunning and brilliancy, I often made him uneasy. I did not know if it was my blushing cheeks or the twirling of my hair. My encounters with him were always brief and ended abruptly. Sometimes he even tried to avoid me by sending a messenger across the Palace to me instead of his usual handling by himself. I was not content with this and I was determined to get closer. Looking back, this may seem silly, but it was my driving force to rise in the Templar ranks. If I proved myself to be a loyal and skilled Templar, then he could not refuse me. Right? Of course. (Oh, if I knew what I was getting into.)
Now, these were not the only people I met and became acquainted with. I was now living next to the Palace, thus I regularly met Royalty. What better Royalty was there than the Two Sisters? Yes, I met Princess Celestia and Luna. These two were interesting to say the least. They had been "ruling" the country for twenty years by this time. Now, I use the term "ruling" as lightly as possible. You see, they inherited the thrones pretty early in their lives. Celestia was the ripe age of 13 when she and her nine-year-old sister took leadership of the country. They were never meant to lead and thus, didn't. Their titles were just that, titles. All they wanted to do was have fun. Parties were nightly and feasts were daily. They reveled in all their fake wealth. Now, they were not stupid, but they lacked seriousness. They were pranksters that laughed at just about anything. Celestia was more of a joker than her younger sister. She was as witty as she was elegant and stunning. She had a high regard for everything gold. So her throne was gold, her cups were gold, her utensils were gold, her bed frame was gold, her furniture was gold, and all the jewelry she wore was gold.
Luna, on the other hand, was obsessed with dark themes. She often read dark romantic poetry and was a skilled painter. What did she paint? Death scenes of course. Now, she was anything but gloomy. Like her older sister, she enjoyed humour. She enjoyed wealth. She enjoyed being a spoiled princess. Unlike Celestia, she had no interest in marrying or even being in relationship with a man. Celestia had many, many suitors and basically tried to romance all of them. Luna was fine by herself. She saw nothing in politics and nothing about the subjects outside the Wall. Celestia didn't either, but she at least, tried to speak to the people once. Luna also had a temper. When her temper rose, everyone had to leave. She could raise her voice to ear-shattering levels. Most of the time she yelled at her sister. Celestia would often respond mockingly which would only torment poor Luna. But her rage emitted only rarely and it was tough to get her beyond her nonchalant demeanor. They both simply lived life for fun and allowed the Templar to rule for them. It was rumoured that the Templar came to Celestia's aid when her parents, the previous monarchs, died in what we called the Sovereign Murders. They took her heavy responsibility off her shoulders and burdened them ever since. That was the importance of the Inner Circle.
The next person of interest was Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. This lovely young woman was my age. She was married to the brave Shindrick Armour, Captain of the Royal Guard. How they met was and still is an enigma to me. You see, she only came to Equestria after the annexation of the Crystal Empire. Thus, she was a foreigner. Her accent did not show this however and she seemed very Equestrian. Shindrick was Twilight's older brother and Flashius' superior. Now you see why I could not comprehend how they met. But, they did and married. Cadenza, which she preferred to be called Cadance, was a jovial and friendly woman. So friendly, that I thought she was acting or was faking it all. There was not a fault in her behavior and neither in her husband's. Shindrick was completely different from his sister. He lacked her quirkiness and her desire for science. He was respectable and a true gentlemen. I seem to lack much to say about him. We spoke rarely since he was often repelling the Nationalist attacks. He also had no idea about the Templar, thus I scared to speak with him, as to inadvertently reveal such things to him. As a Templar, I was not allowed to reveal the plans of the Templars to anyone. His wife however knew of our existence but thought that we were merely government officials. Though one could argue that this was true, the Order was far more than that. But enough about that. Most of the time, I simply nodded at their fun tales.
Here is where I found out that most of those around me were insane in some way. Let's start with the Royal Animal Caretaker. This title did not fit her very well as she actually smuggled the Royal pets out of the Palace and into the freedom of the wilderness. Well, she only did this when she got away with it. Her name was Felicity Sila, but everyone called her Fluttershy. Simply Fluttershy. I met her in the Royal Gardens during a grand ball. She was trying to catch the animals to free them. I heard her talking to herself and yelling "You are going to love me!" at them. When I revealed myself to her, she lost it. It seemed she was afraid of anything human. It is hard to explain, but she simply had a hard time socializing with people and was excellent at conversing with animals. Now I caught her in the act of smuggling. She accepted defeat instantly and handed herself over to the Guards without a fight. This apparently was not the first time she was caught and sent to the Bastille, for only a day. She came back and cared for the animals while telling herself how bad she was as a person. That lasted a couple weeks until she tried again. She was caught (not by me) and handed herself over again. Repeat. Everyone grew so used to this that it was a sort of Palace joke. Some even referred to committing a stupid act as "Pulling a Fluttershy." This girl was nice and all, just a little loopy.
I thought she was loopy until I met the Royal Cake Chef. This girl was a year younger than me. She was Pinkamena Diane Pie. Everyone called her Pinkie or Diane. I called her much worse things. She was overly friendly and always smiling. She sang while she baked and danced in the kitchen. She said she grew on a rock farm with her parents and sisters. I knew this was where she learned to be so completely mental. Pinkie was by far the nicest person I ever met. She never frowned and she never insulted or even made a negative remark about anyone. She sort of reminded me of Sonata, only without that Siren's fashion. Pinkie wore bright colours on plain dresses. She never was one for style and would rather show her personality through her desserts. The cakes she made were always at least 2 metres tall and covered in crazy colours. Now, you may wonder how I met her. It's rather simple, she knows everyone in the Palace grounds. Everyone. She came by our mansion just on the second day of our movement. She gave us a pie and learned all of our names. Father and Sweetie had taken a liking to her. Mother and I were almost scared of her. She lacked the knowledge of personal space and did not hesitate to hug each of us. We all decided that she was simply raised differently and that was her culture. That was, until we found out she had a pet alligator in her own house, which was very close to us. Father found that exciting, I found it terrifying. What place had we moved into?
Now the last one I shall mention was the old beggar that lived around the Palace. He was a friend of Celestia and thus allowed to continue his lowly life on the Palace grounds. He was an odd fellow with one eye larger than the other. He also had many missing teeth except for one long fang on the right side of his mouth. His thin hair was white and he had a long goatee. He walked about with a hunch and his nails were unkempt and filthy. One could tell that he never encountered soap in his life. The Sisters called him "Uncle," I did not know if he was indeed their uncle. Everyone else called him "Mr. Discord" because of his obsession with chaos. He made chaos just with his presence most of the time, all the other times he would preach and shout until he was noticed. He enjoyed all of it. He would give a dry cackle when someone was annoyed by him. He would laugh hysterically when the Guards dragged him out. The Sisters were the only ones that showed kindness to the wretch. Though I sometimes found Fluttershy and him alone together. They talked like friends. (Hmph, I guess foolery attracts.)
Chapter 6: A Dance With Time
"We're going to be late Rarity! What would I tell the Grandmaster if I am late waiting for my daughter?"
"Daddy! You most be patient. The Gala is not some nightly dance, but an annual ball. I cannot risk not looking my very best."
"I realise that honey, but still. Ugh, never mind. Come when you can. I'm leaving."
"Daddy! You're not going to escort me?"
"That was then."
Father closed the door behind him. I hissed in frustration as I placed on my earrings. Father had been badgering me all day while yesterday he promised to accompany me through the Palace doors. Now, I had been getting ready since morning and was taking my time, but one cannot hasten perfection. The Grand Gala was upon us and I had to look my best, not only for the members of the Order that would attend, but especially for the Grandmaster. Prince Blueblood was going to notice me this night and I was, well, obsessed with fulfilling my own promise. I was going to wear my white dress that I had been crafting for the last month. When I started the dress, I did not know that I would be able to attend the Grand Gala, but once I did, I placed even more effort and time into it. I hope I spent my time well, as it often interrupted my training with Father. Not that I really cared at that point since I had been training for five months by then. I was a skilled fighter and was ready to be initiated. I often questioned my father about the day I would become an official Templar and his only response was "soon." He said that when I was ready, he would give me his ring. I politely declined that offer, but he persisted. My father was a stubborn man and I could only allow him to get his way. I finished placing my earrings on and stepped out into the hallway to check the hour.
"Oh my, is that the time? Father was right!"
I quickly grabbed my shoes and attempted to put them on. Due to my long dress, it was less than easy. But I was used to the situation and methodically put them on in good time. After that, I grabbed my purse and headed out the door. The sun was still up thankfully, but the Gala would start in 5 minutes. I looked around to see if anyone was watching and then began to hurry. Apparently my father took the coach that was going to lead us to the Gala. These were the times where I hated my father, though they never lasted long. Fortune was on my side that evening as I spotted our neighbor, Mr. Stevenson, preparing his coach for the Gala. I slowed down to a respectable walk when I approached him. The young noble tipped his hat at me.
"Good evening, Miss Belle. Did your father run off without you again?"
I nodded. "Of course he did. The man can't keep still for more than a couple's minutes. Would you be so kind as to allow me to travel with you? It would be much more favourable to walking."
He smiled and took my hand. After he led me into the coach, he ordered the driver to get going. Now, Mr. Stevenson was the only son of a very old couple, thus I was the only one with him in the coach. His parents no longer cared for such occasions, leaving him to represent the family every year. It was a very nice coach, even better than my father's I believe and we had plenty of space inside, despite my large dress.
Mr. Stevenson placed both hands on his cane and looked out of the window with a smile on his face. "So, Miss Belle, is there anyone at the Gala you are very excited to see or dance with?"
I placed a thoughtful finger to my chin. I had been expecting a question like this. Inside the wall, it seemed to only contain those who sought another in marriage. It was all the gossip that one would hear in this Royal haven. There was no talk about the outside, about the riots, the Nationalists and their new leader, Sir Charles Tirek. No questions on the topic of the striking workers in the factories or the "peaceful" Unionist protestors. There was never talk about such things. The only topic was "young love" or which prank the Sisters did next. Or how that one lady looked that night, or that man, or his lack of proper etiquette or the that time that one girl swore and gave the room a heart attack. When I was beyond the large walls, I thought the Royals would be an exciting place to live, but I soon found out that it was rather dull, truth be told. Adventure did not lie on this side of the wall. That wall made us all too safe. Safe from the people and safe from the Assassins. The only thing that kept me from dying of boredom was my involvement with the Templar Order. They discussed about the people, about the Nationalists and their Assassin allies. They did not gossip or stir up useless controversy, they made plans and executed them. They schemed and actually tried to make a difference in the world unlike all the others around them. Even though I had no say in their plans nor even sat at their table, I felt proud to be considered one of them. But, at this moment, I had to answer one of those noble questions. Otherwise, I would become an outcast for my improper behaviour.
I withdrew my fan from my pocket. "Oh, I am not too sure there is. I mean, there is the Prince of course, but I believe he has eyes on another."
Mr. Stevenson nodded slowly. "I see. Well, I doubt a young lady like you will not find a partner by the end of the night. I hear there will be many fashionable bachelors present. You are a woman of nineteen, your hand is awfully ready for marriage."
I sighed with contempt. "Who are you? My father?"
I spoke before I thought. I said these words with a hiss that only I could conjure. Mr. Stevenson only blinked in response. I could tell he was offended by my words. His face was mixed with astonishment and confusion. He kept this expression for some time before he frowned at me. "Not very kind words to the one giving you ride to the Gala."
I shook my head. "You are not giving me a ride. Your driver is. Ever thought of him?"
Mr. Stevenson became even more confused. "My driver? Why should I? I pay him for this job and he does it. He is not a noble or even a part of a high class. The job suits him since he is so low."
I leaned forward. "I am sure he hears your very words, Mr. Stevenson. There is not much between us and him. He does your job to the letter, at least give him some respect."
"Respect!?" Mr. Stevenson spat the word like it was infected. "Respect? Why should a man of my lineage give a mere coach driver respect? I am a nobleman, he is a lowly driver. He is doing my bidding and I pay him. There is not much more than I need to do. I couldn't care less about his issues, as long as they don't involve the coach."
It was my turn to glare at the man. "Really? What is he, a slave? Do you even know where he lives, or even his name? You are a nobleman, you should possess the social skills to interact with him. At least that."
Mr. Stevenson leaned back in his chair. His was darkened by the shadows and I saw his white teeth gnashing at me. "I do not need to know his name or where he lives. He does not deserve such an honor."
"We're here, Mr. Stevenson." The driver patted the roof of the coach.
The coach halted and Mr. Stevenson took no heed of his driver. He did not even get up when the driver opened the door for us. He simply placed his top hat on and rested his palms on his cane. His scowl remained fixed upon me. I had no doubt went beyond my bounds. I smiled at him and made my way out of the coach. The driver took my hand and aided my short descent. He whispered a quick "thank you" in my ear. I silently acknowledged the appreciation. I was about to head up the massive stairs to the door when Mr. Stevenson spoke again. "Miss Belle, I hope you remember the order of society. The rich and privileged will always be better than the average people."
I was going to ignore this comment, but I simply couldn't. The ignorance of the statement was far too great to ignore. "If that is your order, Mr. Stevenson, then you have no idea what order is."
I left him with that and made my way up the crowded stairs. At the top was my father, leaning on a wall waiting for me. He checked his pocket watch before looking up at me. "Took a ride with Mr. Stevenson eh? I knew you would. How was it?"
I shook my head slowly. "I should have walked. Now, why are you not inside?"
He grinned at my question. "I promised to escort you inside remember?" He took my arm and we entered the Gala.
"The wine is not the best, but it will have to do."
Another complaint ran from the lips of the Prince. I was growing tired of his particular taste in every beverage imaginable. Do not get me wrong, his complaints were often reasonable, but they were just so many. At least he kept them somewhat quiet and did not announce them to the world, like Sonata, who had been dragged out for causing "disruption" in the Gala. She probably would have gotten away with her antics if she was Royalty, but she wasn't and the Grandmaster did not even come to her aid. The other two Sirens learned from their companion's mistakes and kept to themselves. Father found humour in all of it and laughed most of the time. I had to admit, the whole scene of her running through the place and avoiding the Guards was comical. Apparently this happened quite often as the other Templars did not react to it with any sort surprise, but with more of a disappointed sigh. I could only sip my wine and continue on with the Gala without the jovial girl.
"Ah, Rarity, it's a pleasure to see you here."
I turned to see Frederick Patsi. His wife was not with him and he held a wine glass in his rugged hand. The Templar ring on his hand reflected the gas lights above us. He was just the man I wanted to see. He gave me a quick bow. "How has your first Gala been? I hope the other balls have not worn you out like they did for Fleur. She did not make it tonight if you are wondering, she had, other plans. But that is no problem to me of course. Business always comes first."
Unlike most men of noble blood who would kiss my hand or make some similar gesture, he rested his burly arm on my delicate shoulder, like I was some table to rest on. Fortunately, he did place his weight on me as well. I went along with his little joke and allowed him to stay that way. "Master Patsi, you're just the man I was looking for. I have not heard much from the other side of the wall. Has there been any new news worth discussing?"
He raised a brow at me. "You want to discuss such matters at the Gala? You should let this be the time of revelry and dancing."
I flicked his arm off. "Like every night? I do not take ignorance for joy."
Master Patsi shrugged and started to walk away. He gestured over his shoulder for me to follow. He was hard to keep up with as I had to dodge all the other residents of the Royal grounds. Even having to halt as to not run into the running Sisters. Princess Celestia had some odd object in her hand, but I could not make out what it was. Both her and Luna seemed very excited about something. I knew not to think hard on the subject and met Master Patsi at the end of the room where a vacant bench awaited for us. He allowed me to sit down first. Once he was seated, he leaned back and looked up at the ceiling.
"What would you like to know, Rarity?"
Before I could answer he continued. "I know what you want to know. Sir Charles Tirek has furthered his Nationalist movement. They still only have the Industrial District, but that is a large part of the city. Some Nationalists wrecked the Martin Cathedral and left it in shambles. Their red flags and their red paint smother it all. The Royal Guard had to be called in and they made several arrests. The Bastille is getting full these days. Assassins, Nationalists, Unionists, gangsters, and the rest of the petty thieves. Some Guards transferred an Assassin about two weeks ago to the Palace Dungeon. Her name is Sarah Abigail Sommerset, the Brotherhood's sharpshooter. Cute girl with her curly red and yellow hair, but very ill-mannered and has a nasty temper. Fleur and I met her the other night. She is a target for interrogation and that's why we brought her here. Don't worry, we are treating her kindly, even if she is ungrateful for it. But other than that, nothing much has happened."
I nodded in understanding. If it wasn't for the Royal Guard, the whole city would be tearing itself apart. Hmph, the Nationalists, a name full irony for a party that is wholeheartedly against their own nation. I did not know what the Assassins saw in them. Master Patsi tapped my shoulder. "Oh, I forgot. Rarity, your friend, Twilight Armour, has greatly improved the Royal Guard armour. It is much more expensive of course. We are thinking of establishing an small patrol with the armour. Maybe even give them their own name. That Twilight is certainly something else, I spoke with her father last week. He said that she was trying to create an aircraft that carries one or two people. Huh, I do not see the need in that when we already have our airships. The Order could use a mind like hers, not that I'm saying ol' Steens is not enough. It's jus.....Rarity? Are you listening?" Even though I was only half-listening, the sound of my name startled me from my thoughts. I had seen a very peculiar man. Now, he did not appear odd, but the way he walked and the way he checked his watch messed with me. I nodded my head quickly to answer Master Patsi's question and then sped off from the bench. Master Patsi said something as I walked away, but I did not understand him. That man, where did he go? I soon found myself alone in the mindless crowds of the Gala.
"Looking for me, Miss Belle?"
The voice came from behind me. I quickly turned and, alas! there he was. A large and angled smile stretched across his face. His face was not the most handsome I had ever seen, but it was not a poor countenance. He had a large and slightly bent nose and brown patches of hair on his sharp chin. All of his hair was a curly brown and they went well with his cerulean eyes. His clothes were not matching in the slightest. He had a mint coloured shirt under his large brown coat. His pants were well-ironed, but were a light gray. His polished shoes appeared larger than they should have compared to the rest of his lean body. I was speechless for a moment as he came upon me so suddenly, but soon regained my composure. "Indeed. How...How do you know my name? I've never met you, sir."
He took a step closer and leaned his face forward, he clearly did not believe in personal space. "Don't be daft. It was obvious, I saw you come in along with your father, Hondo Belle, and you came walking over to me when you saw me. I guess you couldn't keep away, could you?" His words were quick and his sentences to the point. They were like arrows fired from a legion of archers. Suddenly, he took a quick peek at his pocket watch before returning it to its secluded pocket. The watch was silver and possessed many intricate designs. It also had some odd attachments that made it appear modified for its user. I had never seen anything like it. "Now, Miss Belle," He continued in the same manner, "what made your young mind seek after me? I'm quite curious." He finally returned to a proper pose. I realised that he was a good head taller than me. Now, I like to consider myself as a woman above average height, thus this came to me as a bit of a surprise.
"Uhh....I....I'm not sure now that I've thought about it." My brutal honesty left an after taste in my mouth.
The man made a click with his tongue. "Well, no matter, a progressive overture is about to be played in....6 seconds. May I have the next dance?" He forcefully took my hand and, like he said, a song soon began. I did not say "no" to him, but I did not say "yes" either. However, my say did not matter as he swept me to the dance floor. He kept that grin the whole time.
"Gah! Who do you think you are?" I demanded.
"Naw, Miss Belle, do I have to? It'll ruin the surprise." He said. I opened my mouth, but he spun me with a great amount of force. The music was not even fit for such movements. I assumed he was doing it to keep me silent. "Ah, that was lovely, you are a natural Miss Belle."
I growled at him, which made him chuckle. We were going much faster than the dancers around us. With the amount of force he placed in all his movements and the thin body that held him confused me. He was not burly or even have the build of a worker, yet I felt like a feather in his grasp.
"Slow done! Please!"
Once I said this, he stopped his fun and we came to a nice and steady waltz. That grin was still on his face. "Who are you?" I asked again. The grin turned into a frown for a split second before returning to its normal state.
"Ah, suspense. It's fun to poke with. But, do you really need a name? Call me the rapscallion, the fool, or simply, Doctor."
He ended the last word like he expected me to know something. I blinked in confusion instead. "Doctor? Doctor what? Doctor Wh..."
He cut me off with a loud and obnoxious grunt. "Close, but no cigar, if you smoke cigars. Well, I hope you don't, they'll bad for your lungs." The quickness of his voice irritated me. Every part of him seemed to speed up and slow done for no reasons. I could not tell if he even had control of his body. I wanted to end the dance and leave him, but my curiosity held me there.
"Sir, I require your name. Be a good man and tell me it."
He sighed in mock defeat. "Turner. You can just call me Turner, or better, Doctor Turner."
"That was it?" I asked myself aloud. "Am I suppose to feel something or be shocked? Turner is a common name."
His eyes widened. "What? You....You don't know who I am? Well then, uhh....I wasted that time." He checked his pocket watch while we danced. "Oh, I still have three minutes. I guess I can spend them with you a little longer."
I raised a brow at him. His smile became more sheepish as we danced. "Well, Miss Belle, how has your evening been? I hope you have not been talking about grave subjects while attending a Gala like this?" More arrows in my direction. I could not hold up my shield against them and instead returned fire.
"You know what I was talking about with Frederick Patsi no? Your face says it all."
His smile grew and he nodded excitedly. "Oh, yes. I love listening to others, picking up every single detail without even approaching them. It saves time that way. I'll give you a taste." We started to spin faster. His eyes darted around the room. "You see, Miss Belle, I have a sense like no other. Call me arrogant, but it's true. True like nothing else. See that woman in the red dress? Very lovely isn't it? Yes, I say she has talent. Well, from the three rings on her fingers, it is clear she has gone through three husbands, all from a different country by the style of diamond they use. Did they die? No. She's an obvious gold-digger and married them for their money. She probably divorced each of them and used her legal rights to keep half of their wealth. She wears the rings like they were just the usual jewelry and not wedding rings. This shows she has no regrets for her actions. See that man? He is a Nationalist in disguise. He has soot under his chin and on the lower of his neck. He keeps his hat on while indoors and keeps it askew as well which indicates that wearing such a thing is abnormal to him. His suit is also a size too large which shows that the suit is not his. He probably clocked a noble and took his apparel. He did not murder him as there are no signs of harm to the clothes. Now, look at you. By the quickness of your hands, I say you're a thief. Not a professional, but one that does it when necessary. Which is odd since your father is so rich. The dress fits you perfectly in every aspect, thus you made it yourself. With the way you have dealt with me suggests you are used to men handling you. Your fitness is incredible which shows that you have exercised at least biweekly for the past months. Such exercises suggests that you have been training to be something else besides a plain damsel. You also are armed with hidden blades as your wrists are cold and slightly bulge out of the sleeves. Curious, how did you acquire such weapons?"
"Stop it!" I removed my hands from his and stomped my heel into his toes. He yelped in pain and started hopping around. The other dancing couples ceased and stared at what had just happened. Dr. Turner hopped around and grunted, but quickly calmed down. I crossed my arms and glared at him. He was no longer smiling and grimaced instead. He took a deep breath and checked his watch again.
"Just on time, Miss Belle. Well, I must be going, à tout à l'heure."
Without another word he waddled over to the band that played the music. It was satisfying to see him limp. I continued to stare at him while he made his way to the band. When he stopped in front of them, I lost interest and walked away. A man of senses? Pfft. He was just being rude and using idiotic gossip against everyone. There was no way he knew of my ways. I had not even pickpocketed anyone for three months, and the last time was not even for bits. Men handling me? The audacity! I never allowed men to control me. What was he talking about? Wait, how did he know what a hidden blade was? This revelation made me panic. I turned to see that he was gone along with the cello player of the band. In mad fright, I chased after him down the hall next to the band. It was the most logical way they could have gone. The hall was dark and empty. This did not stop me and I ran harder.
"Turner! Where are you?!" I yelled in the darkness.
The hallway seemed to never end. The only sounds were my shoes clicking on the floor. The massive windows let in enough moonlight to allow me to see where I was going. The farther I went, the more and more deathly the place felt. The Palace is a massive place, you must understand. A single hallway could take an hour to walk from one side to the other. This was not one of those hallways, but it felt like one. I took a turn and, alas, the scene before made me scream in terror. There, on the red carpet, laid both Master Jet Steen and Mistress Uplyia de Croust. Their bodies were sprawled out on the floor and blood mingled with the carpet. In the moonlight, I saw their rolled up eyes gaze into space. I did not know what to do. I had never seen such horror before. The Assassin that entered our house was one thing, but seeing two people you knew dead is another entirely. I stood there, frozen, as their lifeless bodies lay there before me. The Assassins that did this, where were they? I dared to look around and saw a broken window. The Assassins were long, long gone. I gulped and leaned over the bodies, making sure none of the blood reached my dress. "Why, why were you out here and away from others? What were you doing?" I asked the bodies. Their bodies were very close to each other, as if they died while hugging. The moonlight allowed me to see lipstick on Steen's lips. It was obvious what they were doing. The old couple were having a romantic moment in the moonlight and were, were horribly interrupted. The sounds of footsteps echoed in the hall behind me.
"What's going on? What's happened!?"
A pair of Royal Guards and some noblemen and women came running down the hall. They had heard my scream and came rushing to the scene. Once they arrived, I silently pointed at the bodies. They gasped in their steel helmets. The women screamed like I did and some even fainted. The men cursed and swore. Some went running back to either spread panic or tell the people nothing was wrong. Out of the pack that came, my father took hold of me. "Rarity? Are you alright? Did you see who did this?"
I nodded. "There were two. I know it. One was a man named Dr. Turner and the other was the cello player. I did not see the cello player, but he was gone when Dr. Turner went down this hall."
Father looked at the crowd around us. "Did anyone see the cello player? What did he look like?"
A Royal Guard answered first. "She , my Lord. I saw the cello player. She had black hair and I believe pink eyes. I saw her when she came in. I checked her case, there were no weapons of any kind in there." Black hair? Pink eyes? The woman sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't place her exactly.
Father pulled me away from the victims. "We must get you somewhere safe. Stick with groups of people alright?" I silently nodded and we made our way back to the main room. While we were alone in the hallway, Father pestered me with questions. "How do you know that the man is named Dr. Turner? Did you talk to him?"
"Yes, Father. I...I danced with him. He knows so much about me. I...I think he knows about me being in the Order. He's an Assassin."
Father nodded. "Indeed he is and one we've known for awhile. His full name is Timothy Wayne Turner. He used to be in the Royal Army as a medic but turned south when his parents betrayed the country. After that, we lost all contact with him and we appeared again under a hood. The man's obsessed with time I hear. He had the nickname of "Time Turner" when he was in the Royal Army."
I raised a brow at my father. "How do we know so much about him?"
Father chuckled. "Heh, only because of Royal documents. Don't expect such information about other Assassins. Most seem to appear out of thin air. Now, we must get going. Assassins don't normally strike twice in the same spot, but we can't get too cautious. Come."
"Well, I told you, the Assassins have already won. We keep to ourselves behind the walls and just WAIT for the wolves to jump over!"
"Aria! This is no time to bicker! We just lost Steen and Croust!"
"Adagio.....Did you really care about them?"
"I...Well....Now that you brought that up....I guess I did."
"For realzies? Those two were like, the worst."
"I was being sarcastic..."
"Ugh, Sonata, just keep your dimwit to yourself!"
"Hey! Well, you should, like-"
"Quiet! All of you!"
The Sirens clasped their mouths shut as my father glared at them. Father rubbed his temples in frustration. All the members of the Circle were gathered in a small room in the higher parts of the Palace. The Gala had been cancelled and the Royal Guard and Police were inspecting the crime scene far below us. I sat at a table in the corner, simply listening to them. The Grandmaster allowed me to enter because I had interacted with Dr. Turner and was the first to find the dead couple. Talking about the Grandmaster, Prince Blueblood gazed out the window thoughtfully. He held the two Templar rings in his hand. The other Templars remained silent as he thought. Aria and Sonata made faces and gave rude gestures at one another while Adagio gritted her teeth as she sat between them. Beatrix played with a pencil in her boredom. She clearly did not care about what had happened earlier. The only ones who did were Blueblood, Father, Fleur and Master Patsi, not including myself. Now, I never knew those two well. I was more upset about how easily they were killed. They probably didn't even see the blade coming for them. The Assassins escaped before anyone even knew they were there. Oh, how easily they came into the Palace. How they appeared like normal people. It rattled me to my core. Dr. Turner could have found a way to kill me even on the dance floor. I danced with a killer and did not even know it.
"Miss Belle?"
I looked up. Prince Blueblood looked straight at me with solemn eyes. His gaze drew all the other Templars to look at me. "Come forward." He said simply. I rose with uncertainty and walked over to him. The Templars remained focus on me. My father held his breath as I passed. The Grandmaster placed one ring on the table and held the other with care. He did not say anything, nor did his stoic expression change. I stopped before him. He lifted the ring to our eye level. "This is a grave time for the Order and we have lost two great assets to our cause. In this desperate time, we cannot risk being undermanned. You, Rarity Elysia Belle, are here by chosen to take the place of the late Uplyia de Croust. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please join me in the initiation."
All of the Templars rose from their seats. The room seemed to darken with all their presence. I kept my head head high as the Prince took a step forward and gently took my hand. The Prince looked firmly in my eyes. I had no choice but the return the gaze. He slid the ring onto my finger. "This era of the world is plagued with street violence and corruption. By leaders who lie to their subjects and drive them to doom. By those who seek treasures beyond the boundaries of our nation and in the process, sabotage the peoples of the other lands. But, we are the hope against this. We are Templars. We are the Harbingers of the New World. We are the Guidance to the people. Lest they be swept away by the floods of the ever-changing society. Remember our Purpose: To guide all wayward souls until they reach the quiet road. To guide all wayward desires until their passioned hearts are cooled. To guide all wayward minds until they are safe and sober thought. By the Father of Understanding's light, we accept you into our fold, sister. May the Father of Understanding guide us."
"May the Father of Understanding guide us." The others responded in unison.
I inspected the ring. It was identical to my father's but wasn't his. I am sure he was disappointed by that, but I could not tell by looking at him. He, like all the others, looked at me with stoic expressions like the Prince. The Prince patted me on the shoulder. "You are following your father's footsteps. You have been entrusted with a position of leadership in the Order. We pray you use it well. You are no longer Miss Belle, but Mistress Belle of the Templar Order. Are you ready to take the fight back against the Nationalists, the Assassins, and the gangs for the purification of Equestria?"
I bowed to him. "Yes, I am ready. When do we start?"
He grinned. "Tomorrow."
Hossana Meus
Fortuna Deus
Aeterna Teus
Mystrie, Morte, Sancte, Pior!
This was the voice of the woman before me. The woman, clad in pure white and her hair like snow. Her immaculate robes flowed in a wind I could not feel. A pair of angelic wings sprouted from her back. We together stood on a tree-ridden mountain. There was no sun on us, but there was no darkness either. Before us was an army of knights, bearing red crosses on their iron chests. They listened to the woman in complete silence. The iron armour I wore fitted me perfectly, not aggravating a single nerve within me.
Fortuna, Hossana meus
Legionus ab comae
Fortuna, fortuna equis
Ad pugnatoris, in veritae
The knights began to slam their spears in the ground with absolute rhythm. There was no end to them. Spears went up and went down as they were all one being. I found myself doing the same. The ring on my finger shone brightly in the absent sun. Was I a general? Was she a goddess? I did not ask these things and continued to play my part in the war chant.
Hossana meus, fortuna deus
Protego causa in sanctus
Aeternus praetor, firmitas semper
Coryphaeus, rex Regis univers
The voice was as angelic as her appearance. My spear made cracks in the ground beneath. Then I saw it. In the far distance, a step pyramid rose from the earth. It was so large that it was almost lost in the distant fog. It had a design like no other. Lines of energy, magic, or whatever it was seemed to pulse through it. None of my comrades paid attention. Instead they joined the goddess's chant.
Prosay solis hossana
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in resurrectum
My lips and voice uttered without my control. I sang with them, like I had been in their legions for many years. My emotions ran without me. I felt victorious. I felt like a huge burden had left my shoulders. Was it the words I was shouting? I did not know their meaning. The ground continued to crack and crumble around me. The sky was turning crimson. There was no sun, but a moon rose in its place. It was not a full moon, but a crescent one.
Prosay solis hossana
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in unum Diem
I continued to shout with the knights. I slammed my spear once more, and the ground gave way. The goddess paid no heed to me and continued to sing. I started to fall. My real feelings clutched at my heart. There was nothing but void below me. As I fell, the distant light became fainter and fainter. The song was still loud as ever. I was no longer singing. The blackness surrounded me as I fell and fell.
Terra tenebrae, telluris malus
Quiseri pere curiatus
Genitor edo, in ex domino
Patris illuminata, rex Regis univers
The blackness ended and was replaced with an orange colour. Old and withered trees began to pass me, or I passed them. I could not tell if I was still falling or if the world was going up. Images began to flash within my iron helmet's visor. An all seeing eye, omnipotent and mysterious. The Assassin insignia, foreboding and vicious. The Templar cross, familiar and intimidating. A clock. A bloody clock that ticked and tocked . A bearded man in a top hat, mocking and cynical.
Prosay solis hossana
Protego sanctus causa
Padre illuminata
Gloria in resurrectum
My body stopped abruptly. I lifted the visor off my face and let the black air sooth my lungs. There was nothing around me. The orange had left. Everything had left. My will to sing, my urge to fight. I stood up. The armour clanged with every movement I made. The black floor actually reflected my image. I could see myself like in a mirror. My chest also bore the cross. I removed my helmet. I was myself alright. The chanting had ceased. I was alone in this plane of the void. I could only hear my own breath and thoughts.
"Well, well, well, you've finally arrived."
I looked about to see where the ghostly voice came from. "Who are you?" I asked the nothingness.
"Heh, I am nothing but your imagination. Wake up, Miss Belle. Wake up and smell the smoke of your ruined Capital."
"Gah!"
I found myself sitting upright in my bed. The sun entered through the curtains of my window. My teeth were chattering and my skin was cold with sweat. I clutched the fabric around my chest. The door opened and my little sister walked through.
"What's wrong Rarity?" She asked.
"Oh, just a bad dream, that's all." I smiled weakly.
"You seem to get those in sufficient amounts these days."
"Yes, I do. Is Mother cooking breakfast, darling? I could certainly use a morsel or two."
Sweetie nodded. "Yeah, she is. I think it's almost ready."
Sweetie turned and left me alone again. I rubbed my forehead in mild frustration. The dreams have been increasing in both frequency and magnitude. All had the basis of the Templar Order and a clock. A bloody clock that ticked and tocked . I did not know why my dreams were so bizarre. I assumed that it was due to my dealings with the secret organisation. Dreams were dreams, nothing but harmless nightmares. I nodded at my self-reassurance and removed the covers from my bed.
"I better start my day. Heh, my first day as an official Templar."
I stood up with soreness in my lower neck. I had no doubt been resting in an awkward position. Just what I needed. I walked over to my closet, my eyes constantly readjusting sleepily. Once I reached my closet, I took down a small wooden box that was on the highest shelf. The sounds of metal rattled from inside it. I glanced to the door to make sure Sweetalia had not come back before opening the box. The box contained my wrist blades. I took them and placed the box back on its shelf, high above the reach of anyone of my sister's size. I rolled up the sleeves of my nightgown and fashioned the devices to my arms. The routine was a simple one, built in my brain through months of repetition. Strap this here, make it not so tight, right and left, pull sleeves over them, test them, and move on.
After that, I changed into more reasonable clothes and went down to the breakfast table. Even though our home was among the richest in the nation, we had no maids or servants. We certainly could have afforded them, but it was my mother's wishes that we did not. She very much enjoyed our previous home and wanted it to remain as close to it as possible. Thus she was baking us our breakfast. Sweet aromas of egg, sausage, and bacon floated to my nose as I entered the dining room. Father was already there, in his nicest suit and reading the Equestria Daily newspaper. My sister was eating her food with utmost delicacy. I could only assume Mother had scolded her earlier about her manners for her to act in such a way. I saw that my plate had already been served and was waiting for me. So I sat down and my father lowered his newspaper.
"Good morning Rarity." My father smiled at me. "I hope you are ready for the meeting today."
"Of course." I replied. "I'll wear my best dress."
"I wouldn't do that, my dear. The risk of it being ruined is...high ."
I took his hint with vague understanding. I knew he was referring to the Grandmaster's orders from the previous night. It could have been my lack of sleep that confused me, or I simply did not comprehend him. Father was going to take me to the Palace to see the Templar, that was all I knew. I hesitantly picked up my fork. My mind flashed with the dead couple at the Gala. I silently wished that it was just like the dream I had: fake and imaginary.
"What are you doing today Father?" My sister asked innocently.
"Why, Rarity and I are having a chat with the bankers around here. We decided to meet up and have a talk." Father lied sweetly.
"Then why does Rarity get to go? She could help Mother and I here!"
"Because I wish to inherit the business." I said quickly.
My Father gagged on some egg suddenly. Sweetie and I both jumped back from the loud fright. He pounded on his chest some before regaining his composure. He then nodded with an utterly bewildered expression.
"Yes, yes that's why." He said hoarsely.
"You seem surprised." My sister commented on our dismay.
"It's....uhh...I...She told me before, I forgot. It was just as out of the blue then as it is now."
His tone gave me a hint I could understand. It was the kind of hiss one would make to his friends when he did not want to directly insult them but let them know they made a blunder. A reluctant restraining of oneself. I knew if Sweetie was not present, my father's reaction would have been severe.
"They are impatient men also." My father added. "We should not dilly-dally."
With that, we ate our breakfast in quiet. My father did not wait for me to finish before getting up and acquiring his coat. So I, much to Mother's disapproval, had to wolf down my meal and join him at the door. I was in no way fit for public, but I could tell my father did not care. He reached for his black hat on the rack by the door and then promptly opened the door and stepped out. I chanced the grabbing of my shawl and followed in quick procession. My father and I did not even say goodbye to the others.
"You are not a good liar, Rarity."
"Is not that something to be proud of?"
"Well, that could go both ways."
Father and I went through the streets of the immaculate District. It was much different than our previous home. There were still lovely ladies and handsome men going about, but there were no workers, beggars, or even middle class members. The lowest in class were the maids, drivers, and servants, but even they were adorned with fine garments and full stomachs. The smoke from the factories rarely reached this part of the Capital, thus the sun was being held in its glory far above us. All the buildings were made of thick white stone and golden roofs. No blemishes existed here. Springs of clean water, bluer and clearer than any drinking water found in Canterlot, were at every plaza, intersection, and roadcrossing. None of its precious flowing liquid was used by the residents. They did not need such water since they had their wine and so it went to aesthetics only.
The rumble of a low airship went slowly above our heads and towards the Palace's landing platform. If such an occurrence happened outside the walls, people would watch it with great curiosity and amazement. Here, none even looked up save myself. I watched it float away. Its propellers and turbines rumbled lower and lower as it left us.
The closer we came to the Palace, the more shopkeepers appeared. Each one was unique in is or her way. Not only by their products, but by their fashion. I could point out merchants from the Far East and the Crystal Empire. They were selling clothes, fabrics, electronic devices, steam-powered prosthetics. A salesman had a large man in front of his stall grunting and laughing. The burly man had a prosthetic limb and was demonstrating its sturdiness by lifting a block of iron in the air. By his haircut, I could tell the man was a Royal Guard veteran. He must have lost his arm on the borders of the nation. Another salesman was selling an electronic hairbrush. The brush appeared more like a morningstar though. It looked like it would give one more pain than pleasure.
"You really need to work on your lying skills." Father muttered as he pushed a man out of our way.
"I will try Father. I know you do not want Sweetie to become involved with the war. I simply thought I would help you avoid that."
He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know your intentions were good, my dear. Just let me handle her from now on."
"Of course."
We reached the Palace and went up the large stairs. A woman walked down the steps to us. From the bushiness of her golden hair, I could tell instantly that it was Adagio the Siren. We continued walking when we met her. She walked beside us with a devious grin on her face.
"Glad of you two to join us." She said. "We have already begun our interrogation on the Assassin. So far, our results have not been promising."
"Interrogation?" I asked.
"Yes, we have that Assassin, Sommerset, down in the dungeons below the Palace. It is our first move against the Brotherhood. They have started the war up again, and we must retaliate."
"Father, you knew of this?" I asked him.
My father sighed. "Yes, that's why I did not want you to wear a nice dress. You could get it messy."
Below the Palace was anything but lovely. It was as if the Royalty ran out of luxury and left the dungeons in horrendous filth and neglect. That or they purposely made the dungeons less than wretched for the inhabitants. I pinched my nose as Father, Adagio, and I walked through the tight halls. The dust and smells disgusted me to no end. Royal Guards saluted us as we passed. Their steaming suits made me sweat when I was close to them. It was the first time I realized how much comfort they sacrificed to use the suits. In the open air, I never felt the heat from them, but in the tight halls, it was unavoidable.
"This way." Adagio said.
We entered a large elevator. The operator saluted us before shutting the door and commencing our descent. Father adjusted his collar silently. I felt a wave of anxiety rush over me as we went down. I reached in my bag and pulled out my new Templar ring. The location we were in felt hostile to one like myself. I did not belong in such a place. However, I did swear an oath to aid the Order in whatever way I could. The Order was much more than a ring or symbol, thus I had to be more than just Rarity, the girl born with wealth. Father trained me to be ready for whatever I was needed of me. Some dirt and dust shouldn't compromise me.....I hope.
"How has she been so far?" Father asked the Siren.
"Heh, stubborn as always." Adagio nodded. "I don't know how the Assassins keep getting such resilient followers. We gave it to Nata at first. You know, the polite 'good' start. Sommerset didn't fall for it. So then we gave it to Aria. Bloodied her up a bit but got nothing. So now it's my turn. I said 'to Hell with it' and gave her to the Royal Soldiers. I just hope she doesn't drown."
The elevator came to a screeching halt. The operator pulled a lever that opened the door. We walked into a hallway not unlike what was above. Adagio was the first to step out, followed by me since Father let me go first. The operator tipped his hat and closed to door to return to halls above us. Adagio had some light skip in her gait now. The lower we went below the Palace, the happier she seemed to become. The Siren turned around and walked backwards. a large grin was on her face. The sounds of a woman wailing and gagging could be heard in a room we were approaching. The Siren clapped her hands together and stopped in front of the room's doorway. She then gestured at the open door.
"Well, Master Belle and Mistress Belle, meet Miss Somerset."
Father and I peeked around the corner. The room was empty except for two Royal Soldiers holding a young woman with red and yellow hair. The woman, who was obviously the Assassin, gasped for air before the two soldiers pushed her head back under the water that was before her. The Assassin struggled but the soldiers forcibly kept her in place.
"How many times have they done that?" Father casually asked Adagio.
"Seventh round, this 'un!" One of the soldiers answered.
"Eyah, she is a stubborn one." The other laughed.
Father walked in the room. I followed him reluctantly. The scene was horrifying to me. Adagio was enjoying it and the soldiers were too. I could not tell about Father. His demeanor seemed a forced calmness. The soldiers pulled Sommerset out of the water. Her face was covered in dirt and dried blood. She coughed out some water.
"Ya ready yet?" A soldier asked her mockingly.
"All ya need to say is yes." The other said.
She only coughed up more water. The soldiers shrugged and dunked her head back in for another round. Father slammed his cane into the stone, creating a loud ring that echoed through the barren halls. The soldiers glanced at him.
"Enough. Your job is done." Father coldly told them.
The soldiers paused their torture to stare at Father in disgust and restrained anger. It was clear they did not like taking orders and thus did so with as much profound immaturity as possible. One even spat at the ground before nodding in mock respect.
"Alright...sir ." The soldier snarled.
The two soldiers let go of the Assassin and walked out. Sommerset fell out of the water. Her hands were chained to the stone next to the water. Her breathing was heavy and she coughed occasionally. She tested the strength of the chains a couple of times before accepting that she was to remain there in such an uncomfortable position. She could not even turn around to look at Father or me. A growl emitted from her lips. She whipped her curly hair back slightly.
"Well, good to see you Belle." She muttered.
"I am truly sorry they did that to you, dear." Father said sincerely. He then turned to Adagio. "It's the last time I will let an untrustworthy malevolent simpleton handle the interrogations."
"Point taken Sire of Bitchingham." Adagio rudely bowed and left.
Father stared at the Siren until she was out of sight and then turned to the Assassin. He handed me his cane and then rolled up his sleeves. My heart leaped for I thought he was going to further injure the young woman. I sighed in relief when he did it to free her wrists from the chains. Sommerset let her arms fall to her sides. She did not have the strength to stand up and sat on the filthy floor. She did not utter a thanks to my father and merely looked at both of us. I could now see her full face. If there was not any bruises or cuts on her face, I believe she could be mistaken for Royalty. She had the eyes, hair, and shape of a woman born of high class. She was unlike Dr. Turner as she had some fashion sense. Her Assassin robes were torn and aged, but they had a theme to them and suited her nicely. I could see myself in this young woman.
Sommerset pointed weakly at me. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new?"
Father patted me on the shoulder. "She is my daughter, Rarity. Yes, she is quite new in this Order."
"Bloody Hell, they are reproducing now." The Assassin uttered with a slight smile. "Listen Rare, you're on the wrong side. The Assassins are way better than these old shites. You should switch sides."
"Hmph!" I huffed. "You Assassins do not deserve me. You all kill and produce violence in the Capital."
She weakly laughed. "Is that what he tells you? Of course. Just remember that when one of your pals stab you in the back. Literally."
Father cleared his throat. "Alright Miss Sommerset. It's time we ask you questions. I am sorry again for how they treated you; we however, are much more humane."
"Can't you give a girl a break?" She asked.
"Not yet. You have nothing to fear. Just answer honestly. Now, where is the Assassin Den?"
"I'll give you the answer I've given everyone. I don't know. The Brotherhood is always moving. Den here, Den there, then to Hell I know. I'm been locked up for over 5 months! No contact, no nothing. They could be anywhere in the Capital. Cause we don't just sit in the richest part of town and wait for them to find us. You know, like some people."
"Is there any way for you to find them?" I asked. "There has to be some secret way to communicate with your Brothers."
"Hmph, why would I tell you that? Well, there is not anything like that. When Assassins are caught, they stay caught. We don't give ourselves too much information just in case we are captured. I know very little of their plans. And with the news that Charles Tirek being the new leader of the Nationalists, the plans have no doubt changed." The Assassin spat at the end of her sentence.
"You don't like Tirek do you?" Father asked in his calm voice.
"Of course not!" She snapped back. "He's a horrid fool! I don't know why the Nationalists elected him. His brother was a coward, yes, but he had some sense. Sir Tirek is all emotion and no strategy. Expect some wild attacks in next days."
"If you hate him so much, why do you Assassins work with him?"
"We don't! Anyone who says otherwise is talking bollocks. Well, some may be with him, but I'm certainly not. Scorpan was our man, our puppet over them. Tirek is his own. Ya see the difference between the Nationalists and Assassins is that we want to take the Templar down with as few casualties as possible, the Nationalists want to tear down the whole Royalty."
Father smiled at this. It was a crafty and mischievous smile. It unnerved me slightly and I could only look at him worriedly. He leaned close to Sommerset, his grin held in place.
"I see you are not one with Nationalists. I respect that. We Templar see you as worthy adversaries in all of your...ways. But, we may not be so different. You seek our destruction and we seek yours, but I say we have a common enemy. The Nationalists are a threat to this Capital, and thus a threat to your precious Creed. We both want the people of Equestria to be safe and well-off. With the Nationalists put down, we can restore this Capital to its former glory. What say you, Miss Sommerset?"
"The Assassins are never going to help you." She growled in reply.
Father chuckled. "Not the Assassins, darling, but you. You can help us knock off the Nationalists. I hear you are a trained marksman, or markswoman I should say. We will give you your freedom if you will help us with your...skills. The Assassins will never know."
Sommerset remained silent. I could tell she was thinking it over carefully. Father stood up and patted me on the shoulder, indicating that we were done here and he walked out of the room. I was reluctant to leave the poor woman in such a state, but I hurried after my father nonetheless. The last image of mind remained in my head after leaving it. It was a face of defeat and hopelessness. If the Assassins were such monsters, then why did I pity her so?"
The trip out of the Palace went unnoticed as I contemplated the last hour. Father said nothing until we were on the steps of the Palace. I believe noon had come and gone by then, as the sun was as bright as ever. I had to pull out my hand fan to keep my face from sweating from the heat. When Father parted his dry lips, I turned my head to face him, almost being blinded by the sun behind him.
"I hope that wasn't too much for you, my dear. These situations can become vile at times."
I did not answer. It was not that I did not want to, but just that I could not find any words to describe what I was feeling. There was no doubt that I was confused by it all, but I did not feel disgusted either. Or maybe I did and refused to realise it.
My father suddenly stopped with a foot floating in the air above a step. His face was stoic and his body still. The action was so unusual that I stood there hesitantly before following his gaze to a man at the base of the stairs. I knew the man even from that distance and my heart almost caused me to leap and fly away in fear. But it was also fear that held me there as the man approached.
"Good afternoon Master Belle." Dr. Turner said with a soothing and warm voice. "I see Miss Belle is with you, pardon my ill-manners."
Turner removed his brown bowler hat and held it at his side. He was in a long brown trench coat with black military gloves and matching pants that crept over the tops of his brown work boots. Under the unbuttoned coat was a grey vest and darker grey shirt. He was much more fashionable than our first meeting, but I still could not warm up to the Assassin.
"Dr. Turner," Father extended a hand. "I see you are doing well. What brings you here?"
Turner shook the hand quickly. "I was just in the area and saw you, that's all. I can't go by one like you without saying 'hello.' And I thought that your daughter would be pleased to see me. We had a lovely dance at the Gala."
"Oh you bold ruffian!" I exclaimed. "What is your true intention for meeting us?"
He raised a brow at me in mischievous delight. "I do not lie, Miss Belle. I swear by the Creed that I speak the truth. Just because I am an Assassin does not mean I should be rude to my adversaries. I am sure you understand. But I do know why you are here. Sunny is cooped up in there, isn't she?"
"Indeed." Father nodded. "We had a talk with her. I assure you that she is doing well."
"That is good to hear." Turner smiled. "No one should mistreat such a lady. Especially in a time where such politeness is hard to find."
"Talking about the times," Father changed the subject. "Why did your Brotherhood elect Sir Tirek as your leader?"
Turner's face hardened slightly but his voice was still in the most happy of tunes. "I must correct you; the Brotherhood had no vote in the manner, only the Nationalists. My Brothers and I greatly disapprove of him. He is as violent and reckless as he is cunning and charismatic, along with his witch, Christina Silas. I say it's a step backwards from what we are trying to achieve."
"That is unfortunate." Father said without sincere care.
Turner twitched at my father's apathy. "May I speak with your daughter for a moment?"
"You know I can't let you be alone together." Father's jaw tightened.
"I will not harm her. You have my word." He placed a dramatic hand on his heart.
I heard a low growl emit from my father but he nodded and continued his trek down the stairs, leaving me with the Assassin. I wished desperately to chase after Father, but etiquette told me to stay. Turner sighed and smiled at me like we weren't enemies.
"It was a nice dance." He said. "I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did."
"I enjoyed stomping on your foot." The words made me bolder with each syllable.
He made a sly, one-noted chuckle that reminded me of who I was dealing with. He saw no threat in me even with the knowledge that I was armed with the same weapons as him. It was so aggravating that I crossed my arms and relaxed my posture to one side, totally negating the proper way I should carry myself.
"I'm sure plenty of ladies would enjoy stomping my foot." After seeing my face he continued. "But you did not answer my question. The answer does not need to be elaborate. I only have a minute to spare." He showed me his watch.
"I cannot say that I did not enjoy it." I began. "Though if I knew you were an Assassin from the start, I would not have allowed you to take my hand in the first place."
"But you are glad you did no? You are young in this war and naive when it comes to what's happening in this city. It takes a true understanding to even comprehend the terrors of our time. Do not let the machines and the wealthy facade you live in tell you otherwise. A simple dance should not upset you if you knew what was going on beyond those walls. I'll show you some time."
"Like you will ever abduct me."
"Who said I would abduct you?" He grinned, and with a glance at his watch, began to back away. "I must be going. 'Til we meet again, Miss Belle. Au revoir! "
He placed his hat on and hurried off in a jog. I followed him with my eyes until he reached a building, which he began to climb like a monkey. I had never seen such skill before and I knew now how he escaped the Palace the night before. No one else seemed to notice the Assassin acrobat and he disappeared over a roof.
"Oh what am I dealing with?" I asked myself before heading down the steps.
The week that followed was quiet and I stayed at home most of the time. To keep up the lie that I was taking up banking and following my father, I kept to my room to "prevent Sweetie from disturbing my study time." My sister was suspicious of my behaviour throughout it all, but she never proved that I was doing less than nothing in my room.
She came dangerously close to finding out what I had been doing when she saw my Templar ring. Of course, she mistook it as Father's and I strung the lie that he had forgotten it the day prior and that I placed it in my room to remind myself to return it to him. She bought the tale and scurried out of the room like an enraged bat. Father sighed in relief when I reported the story to him that night. It seemed the more I become involved with the Order, the more he wanted to keep it secret.
Yes, not even Mother knew of what we did. That was far harder than it sounded. My mother was cunning and far too intelligent to keep ignorant. From my room I would listen to her question Father about his day, every new question with a more venomous hiss than before. Father never denied her information. He simply kept my dealings out of it, saying that I was conversing with some noble or hanging about the Palace Gardens. Mother feared for Father and his true occupation, but she kept telling herself that he was doing the right thing.
One event of note was that Twilight visited us three days after Father and I visited the poor Assassin. The girl, in her usual quirky manner, was obviously trying to hide that she was scared. The cup of tea in her hand shook to the point of spilling on the red carpet, inciting apology after apology from her. Her eyes dashed to the windows every ten seconds or so, as if she expected a demon to be watching her from such a vantage point. Her fingers tapped every surface she could find with a quick and unsteady beat. A defense mechanism for fear, I was sure. Above all this, her hair was wild and unkempt.
"Darling," I began, trying to sooth her. "What is it that has you so...?"
"Disturbed? Aghast? Terrified?" Sweetie suggested excitedly.
"Any of those will do." I nodded as I sipped my tea.
"Rarity, have you been out of the walls lately?" Twilight whispered.
"No, I have not. Has something happened?"
Twilight gave a short nod. "Yes. It happened in the plaza by my home. A gunfight between Royal Guards and Nationalist protestors. Some bullets broke our windows and Spike was almost shot! It didn't last long and the protestors lost....every one of them."
"Good heavens!" I exclaimed. "I've heard nothing of it. I would believe a travesty like that would be all around the Capital."
"That's because you live within the walls." Twilight said gloomily. "We all know about it out there, especially with Arthur Daniel's articles about it in the Capital Tribune ."
"Arthur Daniel? Of course, he's a radical Nationalist." I reminded her. "I hear he helped elect Tirek as head of the party."
"Yes." Twilight agreed. "His wife visited my home a few days before. She's a nice woman, but lacks modesty. Well, she is an airship pilot and was looking for parts for her ship." The girl smiled genuinely for the first time. "I'm glad Spike found parts for her. I hate it when a customer leaves empty-handed."
I mentally pushed back my memories of shopping there. "Indeed. But I must say, doesn't that mean you helped the Nationalists? You could be branded as a terrorist if they use that ship against the Royals."
Twilight's eyes gazed at the floor. "I see. I shouldn't have done that then. I mean, I knew who she was before I sent Spike to aid her. I would have no defense on my side if I was caught. But we shall keep this between ourselves right?" She added innocently.
"Of course darling. Now what troubles you? These walls are safe from Nationalists, I assure you."
"It's not the Nationalists." Twilight shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's the other ones. The Changelings."
"Pardon me, what?"
"The Changelings." She repeated. "These men and women who wear all green with ugly black masks. Every one of them, the same. One was in our home in the early morning. He got away with two of our best rifles. Flash stayed the next night with us for protection. That was pleasant." She added absently.
"Are you sure they're not just crazed Nationalists?" I asked.
"Or maybe they are Unionists." Sweetie suggested."
"Well, Octavia calls them Changelings."
"Octavia!" I yelled. "You still talk with that..." I closed my mouth upon realising that Sweetie was still in the room. "That fiend ?"
"I know, Flash doesn't like it either, but she talks plenty with me. She's on the shady side, I know, but I don't see a criminal."
"Twilight, she killed people." I told her. "She's a murderer and if she sees you with me...she'll kill you as well."
"Why would she do that?" Twilight raised her voice.
"Because she's an..." I halted. "She's an..."
"A cello player? Yeah, I know." Twilight barked. "Rarity, I think you're just still mad at her when she insulted you. That was months ago! You should have moved on."
"It's not that." I sighed and remained quiet for the rest of the time.
She left not an hour after that. Mother wished for her to stay for the night, but Twilight refused. I had come startling close to revealing what I am in front of both my sister and Twilight. I was glad that the talk of the cello-playing Assassin distracted Twilight from the Changelings that frightened her. After the short lecture, she was much more relaxed than before. Before I slept, I hoped dearly that she would be all right through the night.
I sat on a park bench, desperately waving my hand-fan to fend off the heat of the morning. I spent my time watching two Royal Officers bicker about what colour of uniform they were supposed to wear today. One was saying "blue" with a fiery passion while the other uttered his delicate opinion of "yellow." I was glad I was wearing neither of those colours, as I wore my white day dress.
I was waiting for Father to return to me. He had told me that he was "fetching someone" and that it would not take long at all. Thus, I decided to rest my feet and sit down. I was a great distraction to most of the rich admirers who passed me by. A Royal Guard altered his patrol to pass me every other minute, while a nobleman rested in the shade of a tree to watch me. I was certain he had not the slightest idea that I knew he was staring at me.
There was a third admirer that was close to me. He was one that I did not want to be around. Now, I only knew of his presence due to him ruffling some flowers in a nearby shrub. The yelps that echoed from said shrub made me jump, as I had believed it to be a squirrel and not a man. I turned around and faced the bush with sharp eyes.
"Are you a thief or simply a stalker?" I asked the bush. "Either way, your sneaking skills need improvement."
"Was I really that noticeable?" The shrub asked back.
"Dr. Turner!" I recognised the voice immediately. "What are you doing here?"
The Assassin jumped out of the bush, brushing himself of the leaves and petals that stuck to his coat. "Nothing at all! I mean, well, I am doing something. I couldn't be not doing something. I...uhh...Hello Rarity."
"It is 'Miss Belle' to you."
He licked his lips before smiling. The new addition to his wardrobe was a brown hood that covered his eyes and hair. He calmly stroked his chin as if to show me he had recently shaved. As was the norm for him, he reached in his coat and pulled out his watch to check the time before returning it to its spot. He then hesitated with a low whistle escaping his lips.
"It is a lovely day." He began.
"Indeed." I replied simply.
The situation was becoming awkward and we both knew it. He took a step forward and then a quick dart to the bench I was sitting on. His eyes whirled around under his hood and he cleared his throat loudly. I crossed my arms to show him my annoyance, but he obviously did not care as he flashed an arm at the vacated half of the bench.
"May I?" He asked smoothly.
I made a deep swallow. The look in his shaded eyes was sincere and warm, but the rest of him was full of mischief. The one-sided grin, the twitching palm of his hand, the incessant tapping of his boot, the shallow breaths all attributed to his overall demeanor and true intention. I was not afraid of the Assassin and he knew it very well. I sighed through my nose and waved an accepting hand at him.
"Of course."
"Thank you, Miss Belle." He said with an odd bow before taking a seat next to me.
"You know, Miss Belle," He continued immediately. "I find you as a fascinating specimen."
"Is that a compliment?" I asked.
"Yes it is. I have traversed this city countless times, met countless people, helped even more. But I have never met a young woman like yourself. You come from a Templar family, wealthy and honored. Though you are a thief, seducer, and maybe even more. I just don't understand it."
"I do not wish to speak of such things. That was me in the past, before I followed my father. I never did anything for myself and only did it when absolutely needed."
He leaned forward, his hood masking the upper half of his long face. "That is well. You will not find a judgmental bone in me. As an Assassin, I hold a Creed that tells us we are responsible for our own actions. Thus I understand your views on the matter."
"Are you saying I hold Assassin principals?"
"Actually, yes. Your father may brand me and my associates as murderers and rapscallions, but I assure you, most of us are no different than the common folk. Many Assassins have never lifted a blade to another. The name "Assassin" has been tainted through the years due to the heavy actions of a minority. All we wish is freedom for the people. That or a righteous government that holds itself accountable, nothing more."
"And the Templar only wish for the people to be guided to success."
"They do." He nodded. "But that's not all of it. I tell you, there is much more between Assassin and Templar than mere ideals. Such things that make Sir Charles Tirek an even greater threat to both of us. This is a strange world we live in, Rarity, and you must be ready for anything."
"I do not understand."
"You will. You will." He said absently.
"All right. Now, Dr. Turner, why are you here? For an Assassin, you've been inside the walls for quite some time. You can't be simply wandering about, or climbing about like you do."
"Very observant of you, Rarity."
"Miss Belle." I corrected.
"Miss Belle." He repeated. "I am on a mission to watch the Templar and Royal activities. Another Assassin was supposed to take my place, but she is far too hotheaded to stay in enemy territory. So, in a sense, by sitting here, I am fulfilling my job. You are Templar, even though I hate to say it, and I'm watching you."
"That makes you nothing more than a creep."
"Oh, you're right. Sorry." He apologised quickly, his face turning red under the hood.
I raised a brow at his unusual reaction. "I have a feeling there is more reason for your actions than that."
He leaned back. "What makes you say that?"
"The tone of your voice. The redness in your face. The-"
He glanced at his watch. "I am sorry to interrupt my lady, but I'm late to a meeting with Reina!"
With that, he sprang from the bench and sprinted off, knocking a few bystanders to the side. I growled at his escape. The Assassin drew the unwanted attention of a Royal Guard patrol, who chased him out of sight. I rolled my eyes at the commotion and returned to waving my fan at my neck.
From the other direction came Father and a woman in black. I was not paying attention to her hair or face and thus only recognised that she was Sarah Sommerset, the Assassin that we interrogated. The two of them halted in front of me and Father beckoned for me to stand up.
"Rarity, Miss Sommerset has agreed to help us and we have returned her equipment to her.
More than her confiscated equipment was given to her. Her black robes were new, but in the same design as before. A black dress with a black leather jacket and an ebony hood to top it off. Her red and yellow hair was even brighter in the daylight and was a brilliant contrast to her clothes. She was decked out in weaponry with a sniper rifle on her back, a revolver on her hip, the red blades of her hidden blades shown in the rays of sun, and a sheathed knife was on her left hip. She clicked her heeled boots before shifting her posture to the side.
"Don't you think for a second that I've switched sides." She said. "I'm an Assassin, not Templar. I'm only doing this cause I hate Tirek."
"And that is fine." I replied. "I'm just glad that you are out of those dreadful dungeons."
Father glanced at me with slight disapproval before clearing his throat. "Well, Rarity, I have gone over the dealings with her. She was supposed to have a mission with the Siren girls, but they have...disappeared. The Grandmaster has not the slightest clue where they have gone, and with Miss Lulamoon already busy, you are next in line. I am granting you charge over Miss Sommerset until we can find those rowdy girls."
Father sniffled and gave me a proud smile before twirling his cane and walking away. Somerset crossed her arms with a frown and waited for him to be out of earshot before speaking to me.
"So he wants me to hunt down Tirek. Simple enough, but your Grandmaster seems to not trust me and thinks I need a Templar to watch me. Bunch of bollocks I say, but I guess I'm stuck with you."
"If you believe that I will hinder you, I am must more capable than I look, Miss Sommset."
"You can call me Sunny." She gestured at the air. "And yeah you will. Templar may be able to fight, but they can't keep up, especially the women. You know why? Because my dress is made for movement. I only wear it to blend in with crowds and not appear like I'm trying to be dressed like a man. Your dress can't let you even jog."
"I do have a specific outfit for such occasions." I told her. "When the time comes, I'll wear that for the mission."
"Oh yeah, and you don't know parkour. By your face, I think you've never heard of it. I'll show you some time, all right?"
I nodded in confusion. I had indeed heard of it, but I did not remember what it was exactly for. Sunny huffed and relaxed her arms. I was surprised that very few people noticed the Assassin with her long rifle. I had drawn more glances on the bench than she. In some nonexistent reason, I turned and began to walk along the paved trail through the park. Sunny followed me at my side. Her gait was much different to mine. Now, I expected her to walk like a commoner, but instead she walked with unprecedented boldness and unsubtle arrogance. Each step was firm and outgoing while mine was delicate and perfected. Such boldness could have only been acquired at birth and thus I knew she was related to the Royals.
"You were raised inside the walls, weren't you?" I ventured.
"Yup. What gave it away?" She cocked her head.
"Your gait."
"Should of known." She whispered before raising her voice to normal. "I grew up in a noble family in the Solar District. Never liked the wealthy life, but it was all I knew until I was 17. That's when I went beyond the walls and saw the horrors that exist in the Capital. I became a Nationalist on the spot and ran away. From there I met the Brotherhood and they took me in. Rest is history."
I was walking in the direction that Turner had left minutes ago. In his wake were gossiping witnesses that stared and pointed. Royal Guards cursed loudly as they failed to capture the fleeing Assassin, saying "we'll catch him next time" or something must more explicit. A Royal Officer among the Guards broke away and approached us with his head down. I thought nothing of him and waited for him to walk by. When he was close to us, Sunny squealed in joy and hugged him.
"What the!" He yelled before realising who it was. "Sunny? You're out of prison?"
Sunny pulled away and held him at arms' length. "Yes, Flash. I'm so glad to see you!"
"Me too, but how?" He sounded shocked.
"I have to aid the Templar with something. Don't worry, I'm still an Assassin. It was too nice a bargain to pass."
"That's great." Flash looked at me. "Oh, and Miss Belle is here. Sunny, you realise that right?"
"She's my partner in this mission." Sunny explained. "Don't ya mind her."
"Sunny, if her father knows about us..." He began.
"You worry too much." She told him. "Hey Rarity, are ya gonna report us to your papa?"
"Of course not." I weakly smiled.
"See? We're fine."
Flash patted Sunny lovingly on the back while mouthing the word "help" to me. My mind was blank and I could not find a way to remove Sunny from the scene without arousing suspicion. Half of me also wanted to brand Flash as a womanizing cheater but I did not want to jump to conclusions. Thus I shifted my eyes in confusion and tapped my chin until an idea came to me. I swiftly walked over to Sunny and forced her away from her beloved, much to her annoyance.
"Sunny, dear, I think Flash has some Royal business he must attend." I told her. "We should let him go."
"Flash working? Pfft, get a load of that!" Sunny guffawed. "Nah, Flash never has 'business.' We're fine."
"Actually, I do." Flash interjected. "Sorry Sunny, but these past months have been hectic for all the Officers. See you around?"
He took a few steps backwards before tipping his large hat and promptly left. Sunny huffed indignantly and arched an aggressive brow at me. Her eyes dug into me with as much aggravation as Mother when Sweetie failed to properly cook a meal. It was a truly frightful stare from the Assassin and I adjusted my wide-brimmed sunhat to hide my own eyes.
"Why did you do that?" Sunny hissed. "Flash is wearing the same uniform left him which means he hasn't been promoted which means he has the same work schedule. Today's Sunday and he doesn't visit the Palace on Sundays."
"You have been incarcerated for months." I said in defense. "Flash could have acquired a new schedule in the meantime. You two are obviously an item, but that should not intervene in the oaths he swore to the Royals. You Assassins have greatly altered the work hours of the military with your ceaseless attacks."
"Guess my boys have been busy." Sunny chuckled before returning to her stern tone. "But that doesn't mean your lies are true, girl. I've been trained to read body language and you both suck at telling lies. Don't know why you'd care if I was with Flash."
"We are not here to discuss your love life. We are here to discuss our mission."
She stepped towards me with a bold assertiveness. I found a gloved finger pointing at my face before I could blink. There was no doubt I hit a nerve with the Assassin sniper. Sunny breathed loudly two times before shaking the rude finger around my nose.
"Ya can discuss that all ya want, but later! Jus' cause we're on a team doesn't mean I obey your every whim or order. You're Templar, I'm Assassin. Now, I'm gonna find out what Flash is really up to."
I rebounded. "I can't let you go wandering through the District! Father would not-"
I was interrupted by a cocked revolver pointed between my eyes. Sunny glared at me with hatred as her finger twitched by the trigger. I was astounded by the speed of her draw as she pulled the pistol from her waist to my head before I had even finished my words.
"It was stupid of you Templar to arm me." She remarked casually. "Now, I can blow your little brain out and not be distraught at all. Hell, I may even be happy. Heh, the bliss of killing a Templar is tempting....But I'll restrain myself."
She removed the pistol with a devilish grin and returned it to its holster. I assumed she was chuckling at my terrified face, which I inadvertently held much longer than I should have. Her turquoise eyes gleamed with satisfaction before she sprinted off towards a white brick building. Like always, no one seemed to notice the Assassin except me. Sunny paused when she reached the top of the building to mockingly wave at me before disappearing. The last bit I saw was the tip of the rifle's barrel.
I found myself alone as an airship blocked the sun and engulfed the park in shadows. I felt like screaming. I felt like cursing. Both would be improper of a lady in public, thus I did neither. However, I did find my hidden blades activated. The shiny blades were bright in the fleeting darkness of the flying machine. Just another reminder of who I was dealing with.
"All these Assassins are bloody pricks." I concluded quietly.
Chapter 9: A Night's Moon
The next hour I spent wandering in the general direction that Sunny had run off in. I felt like an incompetent mother who had just lost track of her child. Only, I did not fear for the child but myself and Flash. What would Father do to me when he found out that I messed up my first mission? It was not the berating I feared but his face of disappointment and his soul-wrenching sighs. What would happen to Flash when Sunny found out about Twilight? This made me lift up the front of my dress so that I could increase my speed. It was improper of me to walk in such a manner, but I did not care at the time.
Since I had no ability to scale the roofs, I was restricted to the streets, looking up for any signs of a rifle or Assassin. I thought of asking the surrounding folk if they saw Sunny, but decided not to. These people never notice such things as they all relish in their wealthy thoughts and plans. I looked up at a clock tower to see that noon was approaching; reminding me that morning tea-time had passed without a single drop sliding down my parched throat.
After zigzagging through a plaza of jewelry merchants, I caught a glimpse of a fire escape that led up to the roofs. I quickly made my way into the alley right below the metal stairway. It was only then that I realised that the ladder that led up to it was drawn up and off the ground. I paused to contemplate my next action.
My first attempt to knock it down was a failure as the small chunks of broken cobblestone only rang loudly against the ladder. My second attempt also did not have much success as the loose bricks I stacked still did not let me reach my goal. I started to pace about in my hopeless determination. I felt so useless with my limited mobility. My jealousy of the Assassins' abilities knew no bounds.
But wait, what exactly prevented me from climbing high enough to reach the ladder? After I asked myself this, I remembered all the pull-ups and climbing high fences that Father made me do in my training. I returned my gaze to wall beside the fire escape. The smooth brick did not give me many handholds which made me huff in disappointment. I had to climb twice my height to even reach the ladder.
I stacked the bricks I found next to the wall about half a meter high. I then backed up and angled myself to run at it so that I could push myself off the wall for an even higher jump. I took a practice run and realised that my dress hindered me too much to run.
"Oh no. This is one of my favorite dresses too." I wailed. "This is for you Father."
I extended my wrist blade and quickly cut the long skirt lengthwise from my waist to my ankles. The action completely ruined my dress, almost jerking a tear from my eye, but I was strong enough to move on. I just hoped I would not run into a gentleman while in my fashionably deprived state.
I gazed at the sky for a moment, sighing to the heavens. The blade retracted itself back under my sleeve. With my new freedom, I raced to the bricks, jumping on them and onto the wall, pushing myself off and finally grabbing the ladder. To say I was surprised at reaching my objective first try was truly an understatement. A yelp of joy emitted from me before I realised what was about to happen next. The ladder wiggled free and we both crashed down to the alley floor. I landed on my feet first but the force still knocked me to the ground. I soon found my face rubbing against the horrid filth of the cobblestone.
I rebounded with a grunt. My hat had flown off in my run and laid sadly on the ground, waiting for me to retrieve it. With a quick brush of my dress, I walked over to it and tripped immediately.
"What?"
I glanced at my right boot to see that the heel had snapped off. Oh, Sunny was getting it now, I mentally screamed. I drew myself up a second time, my mind had erased the hat entirely. I awkwardly stumbled over to the ladder, gripping it and began my unpleasant ascent. Each step up was more enraged than the first. This Assassin had driven me to such lengths already. I was scared that I would butcher her when I found her. If I found her.
I blew my now unruly hair out of my eye and ran up the stairs on my toes alone. It felt like a long, arduous trip, but in reality, it only took me a minute or so to reach the top. Once at the top, my body paused before my mind did.
"Good heavens..."
The building I ascended was much taller than most that surrounded it, giving me a glorious view of the immediate city. The Palace loomed to the north while the high smoke rose in the far south. The great walls that separated peach from destruction held strong and the immaculate spires dotted the uneven skyline. Airships floated over the side of the mountain to the west and east was in the dark shadow of the same monstrous earth structure. It was almost beautiful when I ignored the fog of war that strangled the rioting city in its deathly and unholy grasp. It was almost perfect when I ignored that massive red fist painted on the face of a clock tower that gazed over the walls, staring straight at the Palace. Yes, it was almost blissful when I turned a blind eye to the muzzle flashes that appeared from the wall, each one downward at the unfortunate populace that stirred on the wrong and unprotected side.
"And I hide here like a coward." I muttered.
I found my hands clutched in tight, sweaty fists. The red hand, the horrid symbol of the Nationalist party, laughed at me from the clock tower it tainted. That was no doubt its purpose. A mockery of the Royals and Templar. I now understood the fear Twilight held. Her family was living out there in that despicable imitation of Tartarus. It had been so peaceful just six months ago, but now it was a war zone. It would only become worse if we allowed it to remain the same. The Templar needed to end the riots and the Nationalist party. The Nationalists needed to lose the body of the grand hydra, they needed to lose Sir Charles Tirek.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you, Sommerset ."
"That's nice."
"We must get going. You are wasting time with your beloved."
Sunny removed her face from the rifle's scope she was staring down. She gave me an sincerely innocent look. A pair of green goggles were on her forehead that were not there when she ran off. As she lay prone with her barrel overhanging the end of the roof, I waddled impatiently to her.
"What happened to you?" She asked. "Ya look like shite."
"I know fully well!" I exclaimed. "What have you been doing?"
"Watching Flash." She smiled. "The guy's as worried as Hell. I guess he knows I'm following him, but he can't see me. Heh."
"And?"
"And he's been talking with Royal Guards and he chatted with Patsi and his wife. I'm sure you know them. Besides that, nothing out of the usual."
"Well, enough of it! We must get to my home. I want to change into something more appropriate before chasing down Tirek."
"Woah, really?" Sunny cocked a brow. "You know it ain't gonna be that easy? Tirek's got protection and skill. We got to find him first."
I stood over her, trying to keep my balance without my right heel. "Then we should hurry. I mean it. The city is destroying itself and you are here pointing a gun at your man and spying on him. You have better things to do."
"Piss off!" She snapped. "I don't give a damn. I'll get to it when I can."
"What? You told me about your desire to help. That's why you became a Nationalist, no? Then why-"
"Because I found love!" She hissed. "Yeah, mock me. But I was a fool when I joined the Nationalists. Thinking I could make a difference, ha! I'm only an Assassin because of me! I'm only helping you guys because of him! I just wanted to be free so that I could be with him again."
Her voice trailed off into premature silence. I was lost for words. She placed a man who was with another above the city she lived in? I could not understand it, but I was less ignorant of Flash's behaviour than she. I was tempted to simply tell her the truth, but the rifle in her hands prevented me from doing so. I was certain she would end him without remorse if she knew about Twilight.
"Sunny....I..." I slowly began. "You can be with Flash when the time comes. However, Tirek is more important. Besides, the Nationalists kill Officers all the time. You could be saving his life, darling."
"And I could save him by killing his Templar masters." She commented before returning her eye to the scope. "I'll do what I see fit. Now let me be."
I took a deep breath. "No."
She lifted her eyes from the scope again. "What did you say?"
"No." I repeated.
"I'm not your soldier. I'm an Assassin that could pop your pretty little head off before you could cry to your father. You sure you want to tell me 'no?'"
Her tone was lined with aggression but I held firm. "I've faced an Assassin before and lived."
She touched her chin in an almost mocking way. She then slapped the roof before standing up, leaving her rifle on the ground. She walked right up to me, our noses practically touching. A thin smile crept on her arrogant face.
"You've never faced a true Assassin. I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget you Templar bitch ."
I heard her wrist blade extend. I had planned my action before hers and with my wrist blade, stabbed her in the side. I felt blood gush out onto my hand and staining my white dress. Her eyes twitched and she slowly looked down at her new wound.
"You had...." She gasped.
"From the first Assassin I encountered." I added.
She slid off my blade and landed on the roof with a soft thud. I took a handkerchief out and calmly cleaned my blade before retracting it. She gasped for air and held her wound. I felt much better and smiled down at her.
"Don't worry, you won't die from that wound. I know enough of the human body to know this."
"You bitch...You stabbed me!" She yelled.
"Yes. Do remember that next time you call me a 'bitch.' Ladies like us shouldn't use such foul language. Now that you've been taught a lesson in respecting your superiors, we are going to my home and will commence our mission. Well....when you've fully recovered."
"You actually killed an Assassin...." She marveled.
"Indeed. He attacked my father. I did not actually kill him, but I made sure he was the one being killed." I showed her my weapons. "Father gave me these as reassurance for my protection."
"What was his name?"
"I do not know. Nor do I know his face. It was very dark."
"He was probably one of my friends." She leaned her head back and stared airily into the sky.
I hesitated before changing the subject. "You should see a medic for that wound. Father has some medical experience, we should see him. Don't want it infected...right?"
"I guess so. Can't believe I lost to you..."
"I seem to have the element of surprise then." I joked to lighten mood.
With blood, mud, scrapes, and unkempt hair, I picked her up and slung her over my shoulder. I half expected her to retaliate with her own blade, but she never did. Instead, she coughed and held her side in apparent agony. She asked for me to carry her rifle before we left. I obliged and slung it over my other shoulder. It was surprisingly heavy and the weight of her and her "Shimmer" was felt throughout the small journey.
"I don't know what to think."
"Father, I hope I didn't go too far."
"Yeah, you did, when you brought her here!"
Father cursed beneath his breath as he paced our living room. Sunny rested on our couch, trying her best not to bleed all over its fine patterns. I gulped in my stupidity of bringing an Assassin to my home. The whole situation would have been disastrous if Mother and Sweetie had not gone to the market.
"What are we going to tell them?" Father rubbed his face. "Your mother would know instantly, but Sweetie? Sigh, she shouldn't see a woman bleeding out on the couch."
"She's not going to die at least." I squeaked.
"No, she's not staying here Rarity!" Father pointed his finger at her. "If she needs treatment, take her to the Palace."
"That's too far."
"Fine, then the Guard's Hospital, but make sure they know you're Templar. We don't want the Police to apprehend her."
"I had enough time in jail..." Sunny groaned.
"Why....Why did you stab her?" Father asked incredulously.
"I called her a name." Sunny replied.
"She was about to attack me!" I defended myself.
"No I wasn't!" Sunny hissed. "I wasn't gonna kill you. I just wanted to intimidate you."
"It doesn't matter!" Father waved his arms about. "Get out of my house! Both of you." He walked over to me. "Miss Sommerset is our best chance at finding Tirek, do well to make sure she doesn't become permanently impaired by this wound. If she does....I'll....I'll..."
He couldn't finish and shook his head. The man sat down, rubbing the sweat from his forehead with a napkin from a table. I took Sunny up again and we sped out of the house. We didn't even close the door behind us.
"Your dad's mean." Sunny remarked.
"No he's not, he's just stressed." I said. "I believe that the hospital is this way.
"You mean you don't know?"
"No...Not really. I have not lived here very long."
"Well, I'm screwed. Thanks for everything." She sighed.
We reached the corner between 8th Street and 14th Street before stopping. People gave us queer looks when they passed, most not even noticing Sunny dark red blood against her black dress. I was able to change into my combat outfit before Father showed up. Thus I was in much better shape to move about, but appeared like a crook compared to the fine nobles.
"I don't know where to turn." I croaked.
"Just lay me down."
I blinked before doing so. I leaned her gently on the wall of a hat store. She grimaced in pain before taking a deep breath and relaxing herself. I sat next to her, not really knowing what to do. Not a single soul asked us about our business or predicament. Most avoided eye contact while they swiftly passed. All except one.
"Hello Miss Belle."
"Dr. Turner? You are following me!"
"Doc? What ya doing here?" Sunny asked.
"Why, Sunny, I'm here to help you. I found a trail of blood going away from the Belle's home and thought I would follow it and here we are. I'm glad you are out of prison. Now, what happened.
Sunny pointed an accusing finger at me. "She stabbed me."
Dr. Turner lifted an accusing brow. "How could you! I thought you'd be one for negotiations."
"Be quiet." I griped. "Just help the poor girl."
"Happily. Now, where did Miss Belle stab you?"
Sunny lifted her arm to reveal the wound. Dr. Turner reached in his pocket to retrieve a pair of spectacles which he promptly slid over his eyes. He inspected the wound with a click of his tongue.
"That's a deep wound." He uttered.
"I didn't mean for it to be deep." I muttered.
He glanced at me with a grin. "That's what they all say. When you play with knives, you're going to get hurt."
"Thanks for the advice, detective." Sunny mocked him. "Now fix me!"
"This takes time. If you rush me, I could make it worse."
Sunny grumbled. "You haven't changed at all. You know what, I'll take my chances with the Police at the hospital."
"Lie down."
Dr. Turner took her shoulders and stretched her on the sidewalk. She was quite unamused at his actions, but held her opinions to herself. He reached in his coat pockets and retrieved a needle and thread. Next was a small case of whiskey.
"No I do not drink. I keep this for....medical purposes." He told us.
He gestured for me to pin her arms down. Sunny was greatly confused by this, but she soon knew what he was about to do. She sighed again and shook her head.
"I've been through worse."
"No doubt." Dr. Turner nodded. "But it's best to not make a scene."
The former medic began to stitch up the wound carefully. Sunny moaned with every new loop he made. He was done in little time and finished with a satisfied grin. Sunny tried to get up, but he held at place.
"Take it slow. Last thing you want to do is reopen the wound."
She swatted his hand away and sat up anyway. I supported her by having my arm on her back. Dr. Turner shrugged at the Assassin's disobedience and stood up with a swift check at his prized watch.
"Well, that's done." He nodded. "Now's the time for me to ask you why you are with Miss Belle."
"Yeah, about that..." Sunny fumbled. "I kinda made a deal with the Templar."
"We only wish her to kill Tirek." I finished for her.
"Ah, I see." He folded his arms. "So you have left the Nationalists?"
"When they elected Tirek, yes." Sunny answered.
I stood up and gestured at towards the south. "When I was on the rooftops, I saw just how horrid it is across the wall. As a Templar, as a human being, I should not just sit back and watch. We must begin our search tonight."
"Ha, you'll have to cross the wall Miss Belle." Turner reminded me. "They close at 5 o'clock. Even as a Templar, I doubt you could simply walk through the gate with Sunny."
"Then we must go a different path." I concluded. "I know I shouldn't trust you, but I know you snuck over the wall. Can you take us to your secret passage?"
"Sunny is in no position to-"
"I'm fine Doc." She said quickly. "And don't even think about showing her our passageway. She'll rat on us."
Dr. Turner rubbed his chin in thought, every so often making a grimace or frown. He started to pace around us, his hood covering his eyes. I started to tap my foot impatiently which caused him to stop and curse.
"Bloody Hell, I guess I will." He pointed at Sunny. "She's not like the other Templar. I think we can trust her. She is trusting us, which itself is unheard of. Fine, Rarity, I will escort you and Sunny out of the Royal Grounds. We must do so at night though."
"Of course."
Sunny growled as she punched the sidewalk in disapproval. Her face was set in an exaggerated frown and half-opened eyes. It was obvious she was disappointed in her comrade, but also fighting herself over the subject. She probably was still wanting to chase after Flash and forget about Tirek. She rubbed her eyes with her black gloves and shook her head.
"I don't like it, but when has anyone ever listened to me. This is gonna be a long night..."
I never went back to my home that afternoon. I knew this would be suspicious to my father and hoped he wouldn't chase after me immediately. Sunny was able to walk after being stitched up, but her mobility was greatly hindered. She kept her arms crossed most of the time, grumbling annoyingly until both Dr. Turner and I told her to stop it. She replied only by frowning harder and sitting in utter silence.
Dr. Turner led us to a small bakery beside the wall. Sunny seemed to have been there before as she was familiar with the place. I assumed that she visited it in her childhood. We took our seats at a table and Turner walked away to chat with the owner. I watched them as they talked. I could not hear their speech but the man's shifty eyes told me that he was an Assassin spy. They both glanced at me before departing. Dr. Turner reached our table and sighed.
"I have come to a conclusion." He began before suddenly checking his watch. "I have come to the conclusion that you should not know the way through the wall. I'm sorry Miss Belle."
I raised an eyebrow and parted my lips to speak, but he was faster and extended his wrist blade and poked me on the neck. It felt no more painful than a vaccine and I instinctively placed a hand to the spot. As he withdrew his hidden blade, I spied a small needle and tube that was attached to it. I then knew exactly what he did.
"Are you serious?" I demanded as the world began to spin.
"Even though you have been respectful of the Brotherhood, you are still Templar and a Loyalist. You should understand." He answered.
The world faded away and I slumped over in my seat. The last thing I saw was the worried look in the medic's face. A look similar to one that just performed an action they already regretted.
"Look Rarity, the moon's out." A sweet voice called to me.
I opened my eyes. The world was actually brighter than I left it. I found out that this was due to me staring at the full moon directly, making my eyes burn slightly. I threw my hand up to block it. My other hand slid along the ground, feeling the grass. Wait. Grass. My eyes widened as I realised I was lying on the dirt and grass. With a squeal, I jump up and onto my feet, brushing all the filth off my outfit. I then found some twigs in my hair and pulled them out as well. It was not until then that I saw a girl standing in front of me.
The girl brushed her long pink hair out of her eye. A thin pout was on her pale lips and her bright eyes glowed slightly with the moonlight. Her green dress wrapped around her thin body flapped lightly in the breeze. She grimaced at my sudden actions and backed away a couple of steps. When she saw that I had finished, she placed a lukewarm smile that was heated greatly by her kind eyes.
"It's nice to see that you're awake. You must of hit your head pretty hard."
"Fluttershy? What...What are you doing out here?"
"Um...Timothy told me to watch you until you woke up. He's a medic, you know. The kind man told me you fell down and hit your head."
"Timothy? Oh, Dr. Turner?"
She nodded her head quickly, making her hair fly back over her eye. I blinked in confusion. She was on first name terms with Turner? It never crossed my mind that she could be involved with the Brotherhood. I was about to comment on this when Dr. Turner appeared from the shadows with a white smile.
"G'night Miss Belle." He bowed slightly. "And to you too, Felicity."
"Bonjour." Fluttershy giggled. "Where's Sarah?"
"Ah, she's at the tunnel entrance awaiting Miss Belle and I." Tuner explained.
I started to look about. The surrounding area was somewhat familiar to me. Trees, shrubs, exotic grasses, and a few tall plants were all to be held. We were at the bottom of a tall hill and at the edge of the mountain. It didn't take me long to calculate my position.
"This is the Royal Gardens, isn't it?" I interjected as the other two chatted.
"Great guess, but no." Turner shook his head. "We went far-"
"This is the Royal Gardens yes." Fluttershy stated happily.
"Felicity!" Turner turned to the girl in disbelief.
Her face faltered. "Oh...did I say something I shouldn't? Oh no...I'm sorry." She lowered her head dramatically.
"The tunnel starts in the Gardens!" I yelled. "All this time? No wonder you and Octavia ran away from the Gala so swiftly." I then pointed at Fluttershy. "And you helped them escape!"
"I did what?" She gasped. "Oh Timothy, did I do something illegal again?"
The girl started to bite her fingernails in shear anxiety. I suddenly felt bad for accusing her of such a crime. Turner placed his head in his palm and sighed loudly.
"She had nothing to do with it Miss Belle." He explained. "Felicity is a Loyalist."
She nodded weakly. I folded my arms and looked away. The young woman was not involved with this secret war after all. No Loyalist would help an Assassin knowingly or willingly. I glanced at Turner who gestured for me to follow.
We went a short way and arrived at Sunny who was standing over what appeared to be a manhole. She did not say anything and climbed down quickly. Turner walked over to it and offered me to go first.
"It would be rude of me to go ahead." He said.
"That leads to a sewer. A bloody sewer!" I cursed. "I....I can't go down there."
"It's the only way unless you want to go through security at the gate. Your father is no doubt searching for you and he would find you there."
"A scolding from him does not scare me." I mumbled.
"But filth does?" He raised an eyebrow. "I assure you, this sewer is not connected to the waterways beneath the city." He watched my reaction with annoyance. "Rarity, there is a city destroying itself out there. You, a Templar and harbinger of a new order, are simply going to let it all sink because of some mud?"
"It seems that way." I concluded.
"Get your arse down here!" I heard Sunny scream from below.
"Don't make me force you." Turner said. "I may be a gentleman, but I am willing to drag you down myself."
"Why can't I just leave? I'm Templar, not Assassin. You can hunt Tirek down without me."
"No, the reason why you must come is that you know of the passage now. I can't let you go back to your father and tell him. The Brotherhood would be very angry at me for my negligence. As of right now, you're our prisoner."
"You Assassins! I trusted you on this."
"Well, sorry?" He shrugged. "We are still going after Tirek, you just can't leave our sight. If you behave, we'll take you back home when it's over. If you don't, then we'll be forced to give you to the Mentor."
I huffed before calming down. "You drive a hard bargain, but fine! Just fine!"
I stomped over to the manhole and began to climb down. It was not dark as Sunny had a lit torch below. I was thankful for wearing my combat gloves as I simply could not imagine touching the corroding ladder with my bare hands. I reached the bottom with Turner urging me forward with his speedy descent down the ladder.
"C'mon princess, let's go." Sunny muttered to me and led the way.
Only a few meters in and already everything was black. The torch was our only source of light through the sewer, revealing the scrambling rats that called the place home. It was a nightmare to me, but I lasted.
"You and Octavia went through here in your formal clothes?" I asked incredulously.
"Ha! No, we went through here in our usual attire. She had to carry her cello all the way though." Turner answered.
"How is that stubborn girl anyway?" Sunny glanced back.
Turner sighed. "Well, she still calls herself an Assassin even though she's still with the Nationalists. She said Tirek was the right choice for this city and sticks with him like glue. She's mad I say."
"I met Octavia." I said. "Not the nicest of girls."
"Like Hell." Sunny exclaimed. "Octy has always been stuck up. She doesn't even come from a rich family. I mean, she played the cello for a living! She only joined the Brotherhood for revenge too."
"What did the Templar ever do to her?"
Turner answered me first. "Nothing directly. You see, her friend Scratch was in a massive factory incident 12 years ago. The boy lost his parents to the flames and his face and right arm. Octavia told me he lost his nose, eyelids, all the skin from his chest up, ears, cheekbones, and his vocals. His arm was lost to the flames and only recently did he have a mechanical one replace it. She thinks that the Templar are responsible since they have no care for the workers' safety."
"I guess I can see that..." I contemplated.
"Scratch is a freak." Sunny said monotonously. "He wears a steel mask that looks like a malformed skull. Not to mention the weird eye devices that keep his lidless eyes wet. He always just stares at ya, not saying anything at all."
"That because he can't speak, Sunny." Turner reminded her sharply. "He's been through much more than you."
"Hmph."
An awkward silence fell upon us as we traversed the lonely tunnel. Apparently these tunnels were a part of unused sewers that were built during Canterlot's infancy. They never actually connected to any main waterline and thus were forgotten as an engineer's mistake. I knew that my father did not know its existence otherwise the Templar would have sealed it up long ago. To have such an entrance concealed to the Order was baffling to say the least.
It was a long and tedious journey to the end of the tunnel where a stone wall rose into the ground above us. Sunny halted and threw the dim torch on the ground. She then pressed a button in the wall which made a ladder fall down from above, almost hitting my head.
"I'll go to see if it's clear up there." Sunny told us and promptly climbed the old ladder.
I felt Turner's large hand rest on my shoulder. I turned to see that he held an anxious frown on his countenance. He shook me absently with his hand, making me sway slightly.
"A woman like you shouldn't be in the Capital. It's a mess through and through. Nationalists, Unionists, Loyalists, Assassins, Royals, and Templar are fighting for control up there. I'll be with you, but you need to be careful."
I removed his hand. "I'm stronger than I look, Dr. Turner. I'll be fine."
"That's what I told Father." He added with a huff.
Sunny banged the ladder three times, signaling that the coast was clear. Dr. Turner gestured for me to go first and I did. The ladder was actually cleaner than the one by Gardens, which made me confused, but I threw it out of my mind quickly. Sunny stretched a hand to me and aided my last steps out of the manhole.
I dusted myself off when I got out of the tunnel. The moon was behind an old tower and thus there wasn't much to see in the darkness. Bits and pieces of trash flew in the light breeze and scrapped along the cobblestone. A couple of gangsters chatted on the nearby street corner, both with cigars in their mouths. The sound of a neighing horse echoed through the ghostly streets. The flapping of a large flag was the much noticeable object in my surroundings. The flag was a light purple with a dominant black equal sign in the middle. Turner approached me from behind and I saw his arm point at the flag.
"Welcome to Unionist territory."
Chapter 10: Revolutionaries
The night was surprisingly quiet as we wandered through the hollow streets. An occasional carriage rode peacefully on the cobblestone, its driver often shrouded in the darkness. I found the darkness unusual as on the Royal Grounds, one could still see well with the street lamps. I then noticed that the lamps here were turned off, every one of them. It piqued my curiosity instantly.
"Why are the lights off?"
Turner ruffled his coat before speaking. "Curfew. The Royals sent their Guards to enforce the new curfew, but as you see, there are many who are still up."
Indeed there were. As we went deeper into the city, the more and more rebels emerged from the gray backgrounds. We were in the East Sector of the capital, most likely in the Epsilon District as the buildings were not in the best of shape, but not terrible either. Actually, there were plenty of pleasant sights that reminded me of my former home. All the shops were closed of course, but their bright signs and bold letters were symbols of a happier time.
Unlike the day before, I did not see or hear any gunfire. In all honesty, I would say that a rebellion was not taking place by what I saw. There was trash everywhere and debris, yes, but it was not on a the scale that one would expect. Men laughed on the street corners, most of them with old rifles tucked under their arms. Show girls enticed the vigilant men into the few open taverns and saloons. Most of the hints of war remained hints.
None paid us much attention until one bald fellow approached us with a palm facing us. He had a carbine slung over his shoulder and a pistol holstered on his hip. He wore a long gray unbuttoned coat that swayed with his quick steps. A purple bandana with an equal sign has wrapped around his right arm. He reached us and halted our progress.
"Oi!" He spatted with a cockney accent. "I've not seen ya fe'ows before! State yer business. Ar' ya Union'sts?"
Turner nudged me back. "Indeed sir. Equality to all and favor to none."
"G'night then." The Unionist nodded his head and passed us by without another word.
I waited for the fellow to be out of ear shot before whispering to the Assassin. "What was that about?"
"Unionist password." Turner explained. "The parties use them to distinguish friend from foe."
"I thought the Unionists were about worker wages and safety, not equality." I said.
"They still are, but their views on the matter have changed. Isaac Benjamin, the man who founded the party, was removed from the top position when Lady Sabrina Garner forcibly took it from him. The woman wants to reform not only the workers' wages, but also the economy and establish social equality by removing the social ladder. She calls herself an Equalist."
"She's also half-Eastern." Sunny jumped in. "Her mother was a poor Easterner and her father was a wealthy Canterlotian. And you know how stubborn Equestrians are about having foreign blood in leadership positions, so just imagine her persuasion skills."
"If you call a punch to the lips 'persuasion.'" Turner mumbled.
Sunny pointed at a poster. "Speaking of the devil..."
The Assassin pointed at the poster, which was in the center of a bright ray of moonlight. It was a very large poster, stretching from the top of the store it hung from almost to the sidewalk. On it was a colored drawing of a woman with long purple hair and teal highlights. The woman was clearly Eastern with her skin tone and bright purple thin eyes. A bright, almost creepy smile was on her bold red lips, displaying no teeth but still showcasing a blissfulness like no other. A small and round nose accompanied her unusually high cheekbones, reminding me of a ferret. She wore a long formal pink dress with a hard bustle in the back. No hat adorned her well-groomed head and white lady gloves covered her thin fingers. The hands gently clutched a long, spiraling wooden cane with no handle. The drawing was frighteningly realistic. Underneath her was white text that said "Equality is the Path to Happiness!" and beneath that was a smaller text that read "Spread the Word. Join the Unionists!"
"How long has she been in control?" I asked.
"Coming up on a year now. Benjamin is still with the party, but he no longer has any real power over his followers."
Turner fell silent as if he cut his own sentence off. We all still gazed at the poster, every second making it more ominous and foreboding. It was the most colourful image around the gray and black streets, but it was also the scariest. Its uniqueness made it stand out tremendously so that all had to at least glance at it.
Sunny hummed in boredom and started to walk away without a word. Turner and I followed, leaving the poster where it was. The smile of the Unionist leader remained in my head for hours afterward.
"We would be on the roofs if I didn't have these stitches." Sunny complained.
"Even then, we would have to stay on the streets for Miss Belle." Turner mentioned.
"I can climb buildings!" I stated. "I'm not as hindering as you may think Dr. Turner."
"Yeah, but not without making yourself look like you just fell into a thorn tree." Sunny mocked.
"That was because of my shoes." I reminded her. "Why that never happens to you is beyond me."
"My heels are reinforced with steel. It makes them a little heavier, but they don't snap. But like I said, I only wear these boots because of today's fashion. Assassins need to hide in plain sight and making a huge fashion statement won't do that. That's why you get all the attention."
"I see your point." I grumbled.
The sounds of shouting echoed loudly through the alleys as we approached a plaza. The plaza was illuminated with the torches an angry crowd swung about. The three of us stood by in the shadows as we inspected the event in front of us. From the purple sashes on the people's arms, I could tell they were all Unionists. The men and women were shouting at a squad of Royal Guards who pointed their large carbines aggressively at the rioters. A Royal Guard Legate, in his red and silver armour, gestured at the mob to disperse.
"It is four hours past ya curfew!" He yelled. "Into ya homes now!"
"We don't take orders from you Loyalist bastards!" A Unionist shouted back.
"Go back to yer palace scum!" Another mocked.
The Legate stomped his massive metal boot into the cobblestone, creating both large cracks in the stones and a wave of dust. His black eyes reflected the fires from the torches, giving him a demonic appearance. The other Guards held their carbines up, waiting for a rioter to make a sudden move.
"I won't tell ya again!" The Legate warned. "Disperse or we we will force ya to disperse."
"Oh yeah?" One Unionist laughed. "I'd like to see you try."
The Legate growled through his steel mask. The mob pressed upon them, some throwing bricks at them, making horrid clangs when they brushed against the armour. The Royal Guards did not fire though and held their ground.
Suddenly, heavy metal steps could be heard approaching from the other side of the plaza. The Legate turned quickly to see three armoured suits walk out of the shadows. Their armour was similar, but much thicker and with larger pauldrons. The biggest difference was the colour. The new arrivals wore black with bright purple bands around their arms.
"Who are you?" The Legate demanded. "It's illegal to where such armour and not be in the Royal Guard!"
The black exo-suits did not reply verbally, but did show their carbines. The mob fell to the cobblestone, covering their heads. In the next moment, the black exo-suits fired their guns at the Royal Guards. The Guards returned fire and a firefight commenced.
Both sides held their ground as the bullets reflected off their armour. I thought it would be a stalemate until one Guard fell over, making a sound similar to a massive tree falling in the woods. The juggernauts fired bullets ceaselessly at each other. Another Guard fell close to his comrade. The black attackers marched forward, letting their armour soak up the screaming bullets. The Legate fell. Another Guard fell. The last two began to run but fell before they exited the plaza. The attackers lifted their carbines to the sky in triumph.
The mob stood up and cheered. It was only now that I saw the Unionist equal sign on the chests of the armoured rebels. I turned to see both Turner and Sunny stunned by the event. The Assassins glanced at me with anxiety.
"I don't know where the Unionists could have acquired such technology." Turner gasped.
"Yeah, they weren't like this before." Sunny groaned.
They then started to walk toward the cheering mob. I hesitated to follow, but I wanted to stay close to my allies and thus I ran after them. All this time, only the Royal Guard used exo-suits. Now these lowly Unionists had them. The factory where they were built was on the Royal Grounds, far out of any rebel's reach. As we approached the mob, I thought of who could have made the suits. The armour was different as well, bigger and far less sleek than the Royal Guards' standard armour. I then stopped upon realising what could be the answer.
"They have Twilight..." I uttered aloud.
I repeated the words again. They had Twilight! It could be the only logical answer to this. She would never do such a thing willingly. Being forced to make weapons for the rebels was such a horrid fate. I gasped and ran to the Assassins, tugging their sleeves.
"They have Twilight!" I told them in a loud whisper.
The two did not stop but looked back at me in clear confusion. Turner returned his gaze to the Unionists, but I knew he was thinking of what I had just said.
"Who is this Twilight?" He asked.
"Twilight Armour. She's a young scientist and engineer."
"Armour? Like Shindrick Armour?" Sunny questioned.
"That's her brother." I told them.
"How do you know they have her?" Turner asked.
"Those suits. Master Patsi told me she was working on new battle exo-suits. These are them. Twilight is a Loyalist, she would never make them for Unionists unless forced to."
We stopped in front of the mob. The armoured suits were now surrounded by cheering people. None took notice of us. The people were all congratulating the men in the suits. Apparently this was some grand revealing of the Unionist technology and it was successful.
"Hey mate!" Turner called to a Unionist. "What's with this?"
A Unionist man separated himself from the crowd. "We just repelled an attack from the Royal Guard! They now know they can't just walk over us." His voice was high-pitched with excitement.
The crowd started to settle down when a carriage arrived. There were four more of Twilight's suits guarding said carriage. The three of us shifted with the crowd and watched the carriage carefully. It stopped in the middle of the bloodied plaza, almost hitting one of the dead Guards.
The carriage door opened and a man and woman walked out. The man was tall and lean with shocking blue eyes and curly brown hair. He had a handlebar mustache on his otherwise clean-shaven face. He wore all black with no hat. His countenance did not show any bit of happiness. The woman was smiling broadly. Her colours were much more exciting than his. I recognized her. She was Lady Sabrina Garner.
"Hello everyone!" She called out in a cheerful voice. "Tonight is a grand night for us all."
The crowd cheered in response, only to have her silence it with a wave of her gloved hand. "Here lies before us some fallen Guards who were loyal to the Royals. It is truly a pity that it had to be this way. For all life is precious. So we are not here to celebrate their deaths, but to celebrate our new tools for freedom!"
The crowd clapped gently before she continued. "Remember Unionists, that the Royals have oppressed us for decades. Even when I was a little girl, I heard screams from the factories and my father never brought home enough money to feed us nightly. We live awful lives here in the Capital. Can you say the same up north around the Palace? Of course not. We live in an unequal system where some live happy lives and most live horrid ones. Are we ever going to stand for this?"
The crowd gave a definitive 'no.' "I'm am glad you think this way. Tonight is the first step to equalization of this city. All of our labor and sweat and empty stomachs shall be rewarded. We now have the tools to fight back those who oppress us and those who enforce the backward thinking of an unequal society. With these suits we shall spread the wealth to everyone. None will have more than the other, none will be poor while others are wealthy, and none will be forced into a social ladder where names are worth more money than hard work."
"I told you she's mad." Turner whispered in my ear.
"She actually brings up some valid points." Sunny commented.
Lady Garner continued. "The Royals, Loyalists, and even the Nationalists will soon recognize the power of the Unionists. Even though we should regret taking the lives of others, we will not hesitate to do so. For equality is whats best for the future generations. We do this for our children and grandchildren. Do not forget this! With our unity none can stand against us! We shall march upon the Palace and burn it to the ground! Nobles will fear us and the Loyalists will join us. We are Unionists! We are the visionaries of this Industrial Era. None can stop us! We shall win through, no matter the cost!"
"I stand corrected." Sunny nodded. "She's completely mental."
"For in sameness?" Garner yelled.
"There is peace!" The crowd answered.
"In difference?"
"There is frustration!"
"Equality?"
"Is our talent!"
"In equality?"
"There is hope!"
"Equality for all."
"And favor to none!"
The man with Garner crossed his arms in annoyance. I assumed this man was Isaac Benjamin. Turner and Sunny looked at me to see what my reaction would be. I merely shrugged. I did not know what to think. Lady Garner had convinced these people to be her followers. I did not know such people existed. She was no Templar and no Assassin, yet she had the drive of either. Was she a threat? I could not tell, but with those exo-suits she was. I would have to inform Father of her if the news does not spread. However, what was truly on my mind was Twilight.
"Turner," I poked his arm. "We must get Twilight. We must save her."
"We're looking for Tirek remember?" Sunny reminded me.
"Yes, but Twilight needs our help. Please?"
Turner looked away. "I can't say no to you. Fine. We'll need to know where she is first. Best place to start would be her home. I could find some evidence there."
"I know where it is." I told him. "I'll take you to it."
"We're getting distracted." Sunny complained.
We both ignored her. The crowd was chanting something that I couldn't care less to hear. I was worried about the girl. I hardly knew her except for the times we chatted, but I felt such an urge to save her. Turner told me to "lead the way" and I made my way through the Unionist crowd.
"I see we have some guests with us tonight." Garner said in a rather harsh tone.
All eyes fell on us instantly. I tried to push my way through, but the Unionists held us all back. Soon we were surrounded by them. I, as I was a little bit taller than most of the Unionists, saw them parting like a river in the distance. The parting came closer and closer until it finally reached us. Lady Garner stood there in front of us with a bright grin reminiscent of the one she had on her poster. Her eyes stabbed us with an ill intent like no other. It clashed heavily with her joyous colours.
"Hoods." She began almost mockingly. "I remember them so well from my childhood. Crooks, thieves, and Assassins wear them. Always trying to hide their faces. You know why? Because they know what they are doing is wrong. Because they promote such heresy like freethinking without even preaching it."
"Lady Garner." Turner pointed at her. "We are no threat to you."
"Perhaps." She shrugged. "But I was not thinking about that."
"Then let us go." He demanded.
"We rather not." She gestured to the mob. "We would not shun non-Unionists. All are equal. Whether they like it or not. Sir Charles Tirek has his own Assassins, why can't I have mine?"
"We will not join you. The Brotherhood is separate from you."
"We shall see." She said casually.
With that, she turned and left. The Unionists pounced on us, keeping us from escaping. I felt my hair being pulled in every direction. Sunny stabbed a Unionist in the leg which led to her being punched by a burly man. Turner sort of accepted it all without a struggle. His only comment on it was that we "do not have time for this." We were dragged by every limb across the plaza and over the dead Guards which some were now looting from. The mob followed Lady Garner who was now singing some song I did not know. The mob joined her in this tune happily. I listened with reluctant ears.
Chapter 11: Equality to None (Part 1)
My eyes opened to see nothing. Absolutely nothing. I had to make sure that my words were indeed open. When I blinked, I could see no difference in my vision. I was in a pitch-black room. In some sense of curiosity, I started to feel around me with my arms. The walls felt wooden, the floor was too, and there was someone in here with me.
"Yah!" I gasped.
"Rarity, it's me!"
"Oh...Dr. Turner...Uh...Where are we?"
He did not answer right away. I could faintly hear a sigh emit from his lips. There was also a dry breathing from my right. I could only assume it was Sunny, who sounded like she was sleeping. I had the urge to poke her, like one does with a stick to make sure something's alive, but I restrained myself.
The place was not silent. one could easily tell that we were not alone. Beyond the walls were sounds of chatter, walking, and even barking. Angry shouts and the stomping of feet was common. I could not make out what the people were saying because their words were masked by the heavy walls. However, the voices approached the door and their words became clear.
"You know the deal, Garner!" An accented voice yelled.
"Yes. Sir Tirek can't have everything, you know. The Unionists need warriors on our side."
"That's what the Nationalists are for. Now let me in there."
"Please don't!"
"Out of my way."
The door suddenly flew open, letting in a stream of light that blinded me. I turned my face to see Turner covering his eyes like me. Sunny groaned and cursed quietly. As my eyes adjusted, I could make out a thin figure in the doorway. The figure took some steps forward, making silent footsteps.
"Rarity. Dr. Turner. Sarah. Never thought I would see your faces again."
I knew the voice. It was Octavia. The former Assassin placed a confident hand on her hip while she chuckled rudely at us. I could not see her face or really any part of her. She was a silhouette against the light from the outside. I felt the mocking smile though, and the cold dark eyes I remembered her by.
"Octavia! What is the meaning of this?" Turner demanded.
"Oh, nothing, Doc. I was just in the area and heard of Garner's newly acquired Unionists. She made the mistake of saying they were Assassins. Lord Tirek wanted me to investigate."
"Lord?" You can't be serious." Sunny groaned.
"Shut your trap!" Octavia hissed, "No one insults him. Especially in front of me."
"Octavia, we are no threat to you. We are out here to search for Twilight. I'm sure you remember her." I explained.
"Twilight? I do remember her. You know why? Because I've been talking with her the past week. I knew the Templar would come searching. I just thought they would send out a better team." Octavia huffed.
"Octavia! Listen to us." Turner shouted, "We are Assassins. We should be working together. Come back to the Brotherhood."
Octavia stormed over to him and kicked him across the face. He fell to the floor with a grunt of pain. I could now see Octavia's face. It was tight with shear anger as she kicked him several more times. I wanted to get up and protect him, but my head hurt far too much to direct myself.
"The Brotherhood? The Brotherhood?" Octavia spat, "They have done nothing but torment me! You have betrayed the Capital for your own greedy goals. You have forsaken me and my friend! I'll never return to you bastards!"
"Octavia! Cease!" Garner ordered from the doorway. "You know Sir Tirek would not be pleased with your behaviour."
"Quiet!" Octavia screamed, shutting up the Equalist leader immediately.
Garner cursed under her breath and turned away. Octavia was satisfied with this and returned her hateful gaze upon all three of us. Her pink eyes glowed with an evident wrath. Her eyes soon softened to almost sadness and she took a step away from Turner.
"You people think that this city has hope with you in charge. Templar, Assassins, all of them fools. The Templar started this mess. The Assassins continue the mess. It is people like Lord Tirek, like me, and like Scratch that try to end the chaos. I'm sickened by it. The Brotherhood should just leave. I know they are good at that anyway."
"Octavia...Listen." Turner moaned. "You're just upset. That's all."
"I've been upset ever since they took my friend's body." Octavia hissed back. "Scratch? Would you kindly come in here?"
"Oh no..." Sunny gasped.
The sounds of metal clanged about. It was an uneven and unsettling gait that approached the dark room. Garner squeaked in terror and quickly moved out of the way of the approaching being. Sunny gulped and Turner sighed longingly. I stared uneasily at the opened door where the light poured through.
The light was broken by a long spear-like finger. Two other crooked digits followed. Next was a holey glove with charred skin poking through the many openings. After that was the sleeve of a blue military uniform, its cuff-links were missing and the gold lacing was almost completely undone, like one tried to undo it by habit. A leather boot appeared next, followed quickly by a patched knee.
The demonic breathing of the creature could be heard. I thought the creature would fall over at any moment from such breathing. After the bent elbow appeared, the hood could be seen. It appeared more like a potato sack that was sewn haphazardly onto the uniform. Glowing red eyes were in the shadow of the hood and a loose metallic jaw hung askew. The uniform was unbuttoned and a red sash was wrapped around the subject's chest. That sash was by far the most colorful spot on the creature. It blocked the light as it entered. The face was so deep in the darkness of the hood that I could only see the bottom jaw. Though just that showed me that its face was covered in metal plates.
"This is Scratch." Octavia gestured at it. "He is happy to see you. Isn't that right?"
"Gah...." Was the ghostly reply.
I could now see that Scratch's hands had knives sticking out of every finger. It was some attempt to make claws, I presumed. The hidden blades were on top of his wrists and their blades were much longer and thicker than mine. The creature cocked its large head at me curiously. I could faintly see some bluish hair escape the sack hood.
"Do you know why he looks like this?" Octavia asked. "Do you?"
"He was in an accident in a factory." I told her.
"Exactly. The Royals don't care about those who actually work. Young, old, doesn't matter. Scratch was just a kid when his parents died in the factory accident. He was there too, working the machinery. Getting into places where the adults couldn't. So this explosion happened, killed plenty of innocent people. He survived, but the fire took his face, including his cheeks, nose, lips, eyelids, all his skin, and severely damaging his voice box. Not to mention he lost his right arm and the right side of his rib cage. Oh and his right foot. Never heard of such an accident, did you Rarity? Of course not! The Royals never showed up! The government did not care at all and let the place burn to the ground and all the living who worked there lost their jobs! To make it worse, the government did nothing to help the wounded or dying because they thought it was the workers' fault it all happened in the first place!"
"If he is so poor and lost so much, how is he standing before us?" I asked and gestured at the freakish individual.
"Because of me." Octavia replied. "I took care of him. I made a metal mask to keep some moisture in his face. It kept falling off, so we decided to fasten it to his face. That's why there are wires all over his skeletal mask. Some even latch onto his actual skull. It was the only way to get the mask close enough to keep water in his eyes as he cannot blink anymore. We joined the Brotherhood to fight back against such injustice, they returned the favor by giving Scratch a metal arm and lower leg. We also replaced his collapsed lung with a fake one. Breathing has never been normal since. Our devotion was ill-treated though, as the Brotherhood abandoned us."
"That's tragic and all, but we had nothing to do with it, Octy! You don't need to treat us like we caused all of this." Sunny reasoned.
"That's where you are wrong." She replied. "You uphold the name of a Brotherhood that is disloyal and hypocritical and Rarity sits here. She proudly calls herself Templar. She deserves to die just for that. Both the Brotherhood and the Templar play their roles in the destruction of the Capital. You have caused all of this!"
"Now....Now it's time to show you what you have caused. Take them away." Octavia gestured at Scratch.
Scratch uttered some demonic growl in affirmation. Lady Garner looked at Octavia incredulously. With a quick action of her arm, she grabbed the former Assassin's arm in protest.
"Octavia! You can't take them away. They're my prison-"
Octavia backhanded Lady Garner across the face, knocking the woman to the ground. Scratch approached me, his eyes reflecting the small light with a red glow. His rather thin paw took hold of me and lifted me up. Since he picked me up with his right arm, it was the mechanical one and I could tell from the strong grip alone. He swung me over onto his shoulder like I was nothing and returned his attention to his insane friend.
"Take her to the east exit. Templars and Assassins should always be separated." Octavia ordered nicely.
In a desperate attempt to escape, I began to smack his back with my fists, but after the first strike, my hand was numb from hitting the metal that was under his uniform. He took a step over Garner and exited the room. For the first time, my eyes took in all the light from the other room.
"Rarity no!" Turner yelled.
Octavia stood between him and I, so I could not see his face, but the desperation in his voice was so sincere, it broke my heart slightly. Scratch did not stop as he walked passed the Unionists that glared at both of us with hatred. I could not blame them since Octavia struck their leader. However, I was surprised they took no action to stop the former Assassins. They obviously hated them, but could make no move on them. Was it fear? Was it respect? I did not know.
Isaac Benjamin nodded at me when I passed him. He knew something I did not. His face was stoic and not knotted up like his former followers. I actually thought a smirk formed on his thin and worn out lips. His blue eyes displayed a proud confidence that he did not have last night.
"Let me go you fiend!" I kneed the brute.
Scratch did not even grunt and carried me on. I started to notice that not all of the men and women there were Unionists. Some had red bands on their arms and heads, representing the Nationalist party. These particular subjects were much more filthy and roguish than the Unionists. Most of them had pistols and rifles as well. I now knew why the Unionists did not attack. They were outnumbered in their own headquarters.
Scratch kicked open the small door and carried me out. To my surprise, there was a two-horse carriage waiting for us. I was going to be taken somewhere. Panic gripped me suddenly. I already preferred being in Unionist custody than whatever custody I was about to go in. I began to struggle even more as we came closer to this mysterious carriage.
"Nyth...Gain!" Scratch uttered.
I did not know what the brute was saying. He repeated it again like he was calling out to someone. I took hold of his head and began to whirl it about. A ghostly growl came from the metal mask. In a fit of rage, he threw me down to the cobblestone. My eyes faded slightly as the morning sky was all I saw.
The brute jumped on me, taking my throat in his mechanical hand. I could see his yellowish teeth behind the gaps of the ill-constructed mask. Saliva flowed uncontrolled out of his mouth like he was an animal. The artificial lenses that appeared red were actually a light purple, not moving and thick.
"Get off me!" I screamed.
"Si ense! Din ten ar!" He screamed back.
He slammed me into the ground to silence me. The back of my head was no doubt bleeding from this. Though it was relieving to know he would not kill me yet. I could stars from the strike and I was disoriented. He then lifted his other hand up to strike me. I braced for the pain. Suddenly, a gun rang through the alleyway. I saw flesh and metal spring out from Scratch's lifted shoulder. The brute screamed horridly.
I took the moment to scramble away from the rogue. My heart raced and all the paths before me blurred into one. To put it plainly: I ran. I did not care who my savior was. I did not care if Scratch was in pursuit or not. I just wanted to escape. I just wanted to survive another day. As my heart pumped so loud and hard that it could push through my chest, my legs ran harder and faster than any day of my life prior.
I did not know where I was going. Everything was such a bloody blur. My ears ceased to pick up sound and the wretched scream from that cyborg Assassins rang in my ears time and time again. I only remembered turning once or twice, but I believe I went in a straight line mostly. One time I glanced over my shoulder, and all I saw was empty alleys.
The Capital seemed dead that morning, that or I was in a dead section. My arms pulsed with the adrenaline that flowed through my person. My eyes darted everywhere, taking in nothing that I saw. I had remembered who I was leaving at the Unionist HQ. I could only hope that Turner and Sunny would be alright, though I doubted it.
My eyes widened as a man stepped in front of me. I tried to slow down, but it was not enough as I ran right into him. Like a brick wall, he stopped me without budging. My head spun as I recovered from the impact. My eyes focused slowly on his smiling countenance. I gasped audibly as I recognised Isaac Benjamin.
"You do have your father's eyes." He chuckled.
